Kent L. Carson

Kent Lovett Carson was born in White Plains, NY on June 24, 1930, the only child of Oswald B. and Frances (Buente) Carson. He grew up in Scarsdale, NY, skating on Crane’s Pond and assisting his mother in her Air Raid Warden duties during World War II. He attended the Choate School, from which he graduated in 1948 and was a member of The Really Great Class of ‘52 of Williams College, where he graduated with a degree in English.

Following college, after a cross-country trip with friends that included a stop at the Republican Convention to see Eisenhower nominated, Kent enlisted in the army Officer Candidate School. He served as an artillery officer, although was not deployed, receiving orders the day the Korean Armistice was signed. After his discharge, he joined the sales team at Kimberly-Clark, specializing in fine paper for book publishing. He left Kimberly-Clark in 1959, joining Andrews/Nelson/Whitehead, where in addition to his sales activity, he also served as General Manager from 1974-78. He finished his career at Ris Paper company, serving as Executive Vice President and General Manager, Ris NY, and President, Ris USA, before retiring in 1995.

Kent met his wife, Margaret (Peggy), on a vacation to Mexico in 1962. They married in 1963, settling in Hartsdale, NY, where they raised their family. Kent first put down roots in East Orleans in July 1976. He loved to tell how he first visited Orleans and, upon watching the infamous Bicentennial Bathtub Race at Orleans Yacht Club, decided that “any town that hosts a bathtub sailing race is a town I want to live in!” Kent and Peggy promptly purchased an old farmhouse as a summer home. In 1983, they built their retirement home on Mill Pond, where they moved full time in 1995 and resided until March 2020.

Kent was an active member at Eastward Ho! for almost 30 years. He loved his Monday golf group, and for many years assisted in organizing Eastward Ho!’s annual Cape Cod Hospital Golf Tournament. He volunteered at Cape Cod Hospital for many years and served on the grant committee at the Cape Cod Foundation. His passion in later years was Bridge, playing twice a week with local groups and every Thursday – in coat and tie – with the Circulating Library.

Kent was predeceased by Peggy, his wife of 57 years (May 2020). He leaves behind his pride and joy—grateful children and their spouses Ann Carson and Paul Roycraft of Harwich, MA, and Michael Carson and Sean Smith of Pembroke, MA; beloved grandsons, Colin, Austin, Breckin and Daxtin Carson-Smith and many loving nieces, nephews and their children.

At Kent’s request, there will be no service. The family will hold a private burial.

Ann and Michael want to express their deepest gratitude to all the staff at Broad Reach Healthcare, including the team at the Victorian, where he resided for almost two years as well as those at Liberty Commons and Broad Reach Hospice, whose kindness and compassion sustained him and our family the past several months. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Cape Cod Foundation, whose work in our local community was near to Kent’s heart.