1914-2004

NORWAY – Gertrude “Girlie” Carson died Saturday, Jan. 31, at Norway Rehabilitation and Living Center.

She was born May 2, 1914, in Hazardville, Ct., the daughter of Peter and Catherine Miller Davis. Girlie attended schools in Enfield, Conn. and was a member of the Hazardville Methodist Church.

She was an avid sports fan and enjoyed watching as well as participating in them. She hardly ever missed her grandson’s soccer games and also had a special place in her heart for the Yankees. In the early thirties she was a member of the Hazardville RCA hardball team. She was a strong runner, having emulated Ty Cobb to the extent of stealing second, third and home in one of her games. She was also on the Hazardville girls’ basketball team when they were the Connecticut champions in 1935. Her picture is hanging in the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. Bowling was another sport she excelled in, bowling in many leagues around the state and at the Bradley Bowl. She also loved the ponies.

With her husband James McCann and her brother Ralph they performed along the east coast as professional dancers and ran dancing schools in Windsor and Hazardville, Ct. Girlie also held many jobs as a plater at the casket company and salesperson at J.C. Penney and W.T. Grant. She also worked at the Bigelow Sanford Carpet Company, in tobacco fields and waitressed at the Hazardvilla.

She was witty and loved sharing a good joke with her friends. She made life very interesting for all who knew her. In November of 1952 she married Earl Carson who died in 1984. She was always available to help her children. She made each of her grandchildren feel very special and was a great influence in their lives.

She is survived by: her children, Gayle Smedberg and her husband, Roger, of Oxford, Jill Criscitelli of Hazardville, Ct., Kevin Carson and his wife, Marcie, of East Windsor, Ct., Darby Roman of Bristol, Ct., and Joel Carson of California; grandchildren, Razell Ward and her husband, Gil, of Chesterville, Roger “Moose” Smedberg, Jr., Peter Smedberg and his wife, Beverly, Gemma Goodwin and her husband, Mark, of Branson, Mo., Anthony Criscitelli and his companion, Audrey Raymond, of Norway, Marc Criscitelli of Southwick, Mass., Jason Criscitelli of Enfield, Ct. and Oxford, Steve Carson and Kevin Carson, both of Enfield, Conn.; special friends Ken Criscitelli, Joe Spath and Mildred Doreski; and a niece Jocelyn Will of Indiana.

She was predeceased by her parents; brothers, Harold, Earl, Robert “Babe” and Ralph Davis. She lived life to the fullest and stories of her escapades will live on. She will be missed but never forgotten.