Gerald's parents, Raymond and Avie Dee George Carnley were living in Dover, Hillsborough County, Florida when he was born on 5 March 1943. Not long afterwards, the family moved to West Scenic Park outside of Lake Wales in Polk County where Gerald grew up. Edwina Carol McKenzie, whose family lived in the neighborhood, also grew up there. She and Gerald were childhood playmates and as sometimes happens, such relationships become life-time commitments as it did for Gerald and Carol when they married in August 1962. The Viet Nam War which was in its early stages when Gerald married was going full scale by 1969 and that year, his younger brother, 23 year old Rudy Avon who was in the army, became the only Carnley to die in the war. His remains were returned home and laid to rest in Lake Wales Cemetery. In December 1983 during Gerald's employment by the citrus processor that eventually became the Florida Natural Growers Company of Lake Wales, his and Carol's only child, Christopher Blaine was born. Gerald worked his way up to supervisor and retired after working with the company for almost 40 years. In 1999 he lost Carol to a fatal automobile accident and she was buried at Eden Cemetery in Frost Proof. Sometime later he married his second wife, Jane Mercer. Due to undetected diabetes his health deteriorated leading to heart disease and near blindness. Heart failure took him on 18 December 2009 at age 66 and he was buried next to Carol at Eden Cemetery.
Sam Carnley
8 October 2017
Sam Carnley
8 October 2017
Gerald's parents, Raymond and Avie Dee George Carnley were living in Dover, Hillsborough County, Florida when he was born on 5 March 1943. Not long afterwards, the family moved to West Scenic Park outside of Lake Wales in Polk County where Gerald grew up. Edwina Carol McKenzie, whose family lived in the neighborhood, also grew up there. She and Gerald were childhood playmates and as sometimes happens, such relationships become life-time commitments as it did for Gerald and Carol when they married in August 1962. The Viet Nam War which was in its early stages when Gerald married was going full scale by 1969 and that year, his younger brother, 23 year old Rudy Avon who was in the army, became the only Carnley to die in the war. His remains were returned home and laid to rest in Lake Wales Cemetery. In December 1983 during Gerald's employment by the citrus processor that eventually became the Florida Natural Growers Company of Lake Wales, his and Carol's only child, Christopher Blaine was born. Gerald worked his way up to supervisor and retired after working with the company for almost 40 years. In 1999 he lost Carol to a fatal automobile accident and she was buried at Eden Cemetery in Frost Proof. Sometime later he married his second wife, Jane Mercer. Due to undetected diabetes his health deteriorated leading to heart disease and near blindness. Heart failure took him on 18 December 2009 at age 66 and he was buried next to Carol at Eden Cemetery.
Sam Carnley
8 October 2017
Sam Carnley
8 October 2017
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