Rosemary Carson, age 86, of Mt. Vernon, devoted wife and mother, went to join her Lord and Savior in heaven Saturday, January 5, 2013. She was born January 31, 1926, in Dyer, Arkansas, the daughter of Bill and Callie (Patton) James. Rosemary was a 1944 graduate of Alma Arkansas High School and attended Arkansas Tech. On June 5, 1944 she married L.M. Carson in Ft. Smith Arkansas. He preceded her in death September 10, 1988. Rosemary and Coach Carson had four children. They moved to Missouri from Arkansas in 1959 when Coach took a coaching position in Miller, Missouri. After coaching in Miller for four years he coached in Mt. Vernon for the rest of his career. It was then that Rosemary became a devoted Mt. Vernon fan and remained until her passing. She was employed at the Mt. Vernon Elementary School for many years where she worked as a teacher's aide and touched many lives caring for and loving the children. She was an active member of the Mt. Vernon First Baptist Church for many years where she loved to sing in the choir. She inspired her family with the fact that she could remember details from the past, sharing stories and most importantly giving the best advise to them. She loved and supported her husband and children, always putting them first.

She will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered by her four children, Rosemarie Dieckhoff and her husband, Bob, of Mt. Vernon, Ron Carson and his wife, Terri, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Tim Carson and his wife, Leta, of Monkey Island, Oklahoma, and Caroline Perigo and her husband, Tim, of Neosho; 11 grandchildren, Jeffrey (Lori) Diekhoff, Jennifer (Ron) Dunn, Rodney (Kathy) Shaffer, Ryan Carson, Nikki Bishop, Josh (Dru) Bishop, Andy (Kelli) Perigo, Mike (Ashley) Carson, Tyler (Sheena) Carson, Lindsay (Will) Highley, Kelly (Kyle) Snodgrass; and 12 great grandchildren, Josh, Grace and Emma Dunn, Carson and Saba Dieckhoff, Rhett and Beckett Perigo, Tristin and Trevor Highley, Madison and Aiden Shaffer and Brady Bishop. Her parents, two sisters and two brothers preceded her in death.

A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, January 11, 2013, at the First Baptist Church with burial at the Mt. Vernon IOOF Cemetery. A visitation will be held from 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 10, in the funeral home chapel. Memorial donations may be made to the Emergency Service for Children or the First Baptist Church in care of the funeral home. Online condolences may be shared at this website.