Dorothy Jean Carson or “Jean” as she would tell you, passed away at her home on the morning of December 6th, 2014. Some of you would have known her as Jean Schudel or Jean Ashby.
Jean was born on April 17th, 1927. She was raised in Camp Dennison, Ohio. Jean was the eldest and last surviving of four siblings (Dorothy “Jean”, Carolyn, Rolf and Robert). Born to Edgar and Dorothea Dority also deceased, in Detroit MI. She was raised on a small farm during the depression and spent much of her teen years as a nanny for the Todd Family. She attended the Camp Dennison School and graduated from Terrace Park High School.
During World War II she worked for the Pratt – Whitney Co of Cincinnati OH. After graduating from high school, she joined the Nurse Corp. The war ended and she attended Bethesda School of Nursing in Cincinnati OH and became a registered nurse. After graduating she went to work at Toledo State Hospital (now part of the Medical College of Ohio) in Toledo.
In 1949, she met and married a US Army veteran, Robert George”Bob” Schudel. Jean and Bob had two boys. The first died at birth (1950), the second boy, Robert D. or “Bobby” as he was called. Husband “Bob” Schudel passed away from Hodgkins Disease in the fall 1958. Jean made the most of what she had while working full-time at the state hospital. Every summer she and “Bobby” would take a “big” vacation to “Bobbys” favorite places: Civil War Battlefields, Revolutionary War sites, Washington DC, Hershey PA, etc. They would also spend a week or so at Gem Beach on Lake Erie with friends or cousins from Milford OH.
In 1964, Jean and Bobby made a big move from Toledo Oh to the Pacific Beach area of San Diego CA where she went to work for University Hospital in Hillcrest. In 1965, She met and married Marshall Scott Ashby and remained married for 2 yrs. Jean went to work at Mesa Vista Hospital as a Teenage Program Coordinator.
In 1972, she married Donald John Carson. They moved to Cardiff-by-the-Sea CA and she went to work in Real Estate. Jean and Don got a visit from Bob and his new wife Debbie. When Don left his job at Solar in San Diego they decided it was time for a move and they moved to Tumalo, Oregon.
They moved to Halfway Oregon in 1978 owned and operated Halfway Bowl there until 1988. She and Don divorced in 1988 and Jean moved back to the place she loved, San Diego. She was a caregiver and pet-sitter/housesitter until around 2010. She maintained her registered nurse status until her passing.
Jean loved to travel and made trips to Switzerland, Germany, France, New Zealand, Alaska and Hawaii. She made several trips back to Halfway Oregon to visit son, Bob, and family. She loved spending time with her grandchildren, Rob and Lindsay and took each to her home in San Diego for summer vacations as they were growing up. They loved visiting her friends and all the pets she loved and cared for. She loved the San Diego Zoo and Sea World and made sure they got to see all of those sites.
In recent years she traveled to various parts of the United States to visit and spend time with family and friends and went to Cuba to spend time with family friends, Charlotte, Lisa and JanTore in Havana and loved having them visit in San Diego.
Since 1990, Jean has made The Orchard Apartments her home. She had so many wonderful friends there and loved the gardens she worked hard at. She took special pleasure in sharing her roses with her friends.
She cherished all of her family and good friends that blessed her throughout her life. She remained in contact with childhood friends, nursing school friends, friends from Toledo Oh, Halfway OR and San Diego up until her last day. Though she never “got” the PC and email, she loved corresponding by mail.
This last summer, she made a trip to visit granddaughter Lindsay, Tom (Holden) and greatgranddaughter, Alexis, She had a wonderful visit with them. After her cancer diagnosis, she made a cross-country road trip with Bob and Debbie to her grandson, Robs, wedding to Ashley Gorvin (in Sept of this year); then on to Ohio to spend time with cousins, niece and old friends. She most recently treasured her time with a dear family friend, Lisa Stearns, who traveled from Cuba to spend time with her.
Jean is survived by her son, Bob, and wife Debbie; A grandson, Rob and wife Ashley; A granddaughter, Lindsay, her husband Tom (Holden) Donahue; and one great-grand-daughter Alexis; and several nieces and a nephew.
The family cannot express there love and gratitude enough to friends: Lisa and her husband, JanTore; Gaynell; Juanita; Polly; Jean; Anita; William, Anna; Carol Ann; Juanita; Howard; and more; Mary K and Jerry; the folks at The Orchard; and the folks at Apreva Hospice for all they have done, the love and care they have shown Jean. Bob & would also like to express their profound thanks and appreciation to Dr. Sunita Shilam and Jorge Perez at the Sun Medical Clinic in San Diego for all the love and care they have shown Jean for several years. They were as much friends as caregivers. Jean wanted to share a poem (source unknown), that she changed up a little, to let all her friends and family know what they meant to her:
“To Those I Love and To Those Who Love Me”
When I am gone, release me, let me go.
I have many things to see and do.
You mustn't tie yourself to me with tears,
Be thankful for our beautiful years.
I gave to you my love. You can only guess
How much you gave to me in happiness.
I thank you for the love you’ve shown,
But now it’s time I traveled on alone...
I won’t be far away, as life goes on,
So if you need me, call and I will come.
Though you can’t see or touch me, I’ll be near...
And if you listen with your heart you’ll hear
All my love around you soft and clear.
So bless the memories within your hearts.