Obituary Leslie Anne Flanders Carson (1949-2016) 1-13-16
January 13, 2016
Obituaries
Leslie Anne Flanders Carson (1949-2016)
The final theatrical production of Leslie’s passionate life occurred at sunset on Sunday, January 3rd, 2016. The house was filled with immediate family, friends, and of course, an abundance of reverence, humor and wit. The cast was made up of Robert Carson (in his first stage role, as the beloved but over-matched husband), Hilary Carson and Savanna Carson (both well-cast as devoted daughters), Joel Downer (who played the heart-felt son-in-law) and Lynn Carlisle (playing the intimate friend and who arguably gets the nod for best supporting actress) made up the fantastic supporting cast.
Leslie was provided long-term support and technical assistance by her brothers, Jeff Flanders (wife Colleen), John (wife Cynthia) and compellingly dramatic appearances by her beautiful niece, Serena Flanders. John and Serena also composed and performed much of the musical score.
Offstage masterful support and medical assistance was provided by Dr. Ann Kelley (and staff), Dr. Thomas Kong (and staff), Dr. Gary Wikholm, and finally Dr. William Rajala, Shari Gepner and their team at Assisted Hospice.
Previous stops on this worldwide tour included an initial run in Canton, Ohio (Central Catholic HS), stops at Bowling Green University, Catholic University, Manhattan/NYC, (including several trans-Atlantic and Caribbean sailing junkets) Santa Barbara and ultimately Santa Paula. This artist also conducted extended professional educational engagements at St. Bonaventure HS (Drama, Religion and English), William S Hart HS and Saugus HS (Theater Arts) in Santa Clarita, where she was greatly loved and influenced many a talented young performer . She retired from this rigorous touring schedule in 2012.
However, numerous theatrical and humanitarian projects were initiated and conducted to rave critical review. These included; Cornerstone Theater, Poetic Justice Project, Kelly Avenue Catholic Worker and St Francis Church conducting ‘Fools for Christ’ Clown Camp(s), CLUE (inmate visitation), Corona Women’s Prison (initiating Dramatic Writing and Comedy Improv programs), EP Foster Elementary, Theater Games and Improvisational Comedy and many others.
The drop of the curtain, certain to conclude bravos, and ovations, will take place as a celebration on Sunday, January 17th at 4:00pm at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Santa Paula, followed by a modest bon voyage at the nearby Glen Tavern Inn.
Arrangements are under the care of the Joseph P. Reardon Funeral Home, 757 East Main Street, Ventura.
“The theatre must be more than a factory for production plays... it should have a living spiritual and intellectual focus, a place for social self-awareness, a vanishing point where all lines of force of the age meet, a seismograph of the times, a space, an area of freedom, an instrument of human liberation.” -- Vaclav Havel
