Bastrop County Audubon Society lost a valued member and leader with the passing of David Carson on August 12, 2001. The following is his obituary from the Bastrop Advertiser (reprinted with permission).
David Costley Carson died Sunday, August 12, 2001. He was born in Dallas on Oct. 18, 1921.
He received his bachelor of arts from Southern Methodist University with postgraduate work at the University of Chicago. He served as psychiatric social worker with the U.S. Army Medical Corps. After military service he earned an M.A. in psychology from the University of Texas.
His working career began as a rehabilitation counselor at the Texas Education Agency in the vocational rehabilitation division, helping individuals with physical handicaps. This work led to the role of assistant Project Director of the Texas Statewide Planning Project. He then served as Psychologist for the Texas State Youth Council.
The state of Washington invited him to direct their Planning Commission for Vocational Rehabilitation from 1965-1967. His commitment to quality, affordable health care with input from consumers and ease of access inspired him to establish one of the early non-profit health maintenance organizations in Olympia, Washington and later in Madison, Wisconsin.
The Wisconsin program received the highest rating in a series by “U.S. News and World Report” devoted to rating the nation’s HMOs. Upon his return to Austin, he served on the board of directors of Brackenridge Hospital.
While working in the area of rehabilitation, he helped bring Goodwill Industries to Austin; and with others in the community he helped found the First Unitarian Universalist Church. With his wife Barbara, he helped found the Austin Ballet Society, which evolved into Ballet Austin.
An early commitment to environmental issues inspired him along with experts and other laypersons in Wisconsin to develop Windwatts, Inc. devoted to the development of an alternative energy resource using wind power.
He was elected to the board of directors of the National Audubon Society representing the states of the southwest, Mexico and parts of Central America, served as a member of the state Sierra Club, served on the joint Sierra/Audubon Textbook Review Committee and testified before the Texas State Board of Education about the environmental content of textbooks used in public schools. In 1988 he received a National Environmental Achievement Award from Renew America.
After his retirement to his Bastrop County ranch near McDade, he served on the Bastrop County Citizens Advisory Board of Health, Bastrop County Audubon Society, Bastrop Water District and became a citizen scientist through the Audubon Society collecting and testing rainwater for acid content.
He also served on the McDade school board. His ranch was one of the first to be designated a wildlife sanctuary under a newly passed state law.
Carson is survived by his wife, Barbara, son Jonathan, daughter, Laurel Lacy, son-in-law, Larry Lacy, granddaughter, Meredyth Lacy, and brother, Lee. His son, Bruce, died on the peak of Mount Trisul in the Himalayas in 1975.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, Sept. 15 at 11 a.m. at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin, 4700 Grover Ave. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the David Carson Memorial Fund at the Unitarian Universalist Church.