Anyone who grew up in the Bon Air Avenue community knew the name, "Bruce Carson". He was friendly, fun-loving, mischievous, athletic, and never saw a tree he didn't think he could climb. He loved sports, his mother's sweet potato pies at Christmas time and making people laugh. Most importantly, his love for his family was surpassed only by their love for him.

Bruce Franklin Carson was born March 19, 1959 and raised as the cherished son of Barbara Joyner Carson.  Surrounded by all the love he could want, he enjoyed being at the center of his family's heartbeat. He was the brother and uncle everyone wanted, and he took his role as the family protector seriously throughout his entire lifetime.

Bruce attended the local public schools, completing his years of education at North Forsyth High School. He played baseball while he was in junior high and high school, with dreams of becoming a major league player. As life sometimes happens, he chose a different path for his future. Bruce wanted to live his life...his way.

His decision to join the U. S. Army gave him the opportunity to leave the city he knew and get a taste of life in other countries. Following his years in the military, he headed back home to Winston-Salem. He eventually met and married Jacqueline (Jackie) Cloud; his loving wife of 39 years.

Bruce held jobs with Douglas Battery, R. J. Reynolds, Forsyth Medical Center (Novant), Wake Forest University, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center (Atrium), and The Salvation Army. He retired from the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School system in 2021; ending his working career at the same high school he attended as a teenager, North Forsyth.

One of Bruce's favorite pastimes was watching his beloved Philadelphia Eagles anytime they were on television. His devotion to the team was legendary within his tight circle of family and friends. When "his team" was not on the field, he would gladly watch other games of interest, so he could make a phone call to family and friends to trash talk about the different plays during the game. He readily shared his colorful opinions.

When he learned of his illness and diagnosis, Bruce did all he could to prepare his family for the journey he was about to undertake. His daily conversations with the "Master" strengthened his faith, and gave him a sense of peace and comfort. He peacefully departed this life Monday August 5, 2024.

Bruce was preceded in death by his father: Robert F. Brown; brother: Norman Brown; uncles: Herbert, James, and Frank Joyner; aunts: Mildred Kirkland, Phyllis Claggett, Eloise Joyner, and Lucille Joyner; mother-in-law: Ms. Elsie Cloud, sister-in-law: Brenda Cloud; brothers-in-law: Otis Murphy and James Nebraska Cloud, Jr., and a host of other relatives.

Left to celebrate their many memories of Bruce are his wife: Jackie Carson; two sons: Bruce Stowe (Juscance) of Las Vegas, Nevada, and Jamon Carson (Myya) of Wallburg, NC; daughter: Brandy Gilliam; bonus son: Denorris Cloud; his devoted mother: Barbara J. Carson; two sisters: Pappi C. Franklin (Lonnie), and Tina Carson-Wilkins (Dr. Ronald Wilkins); five grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; two nieces: Nakita Carson, and Tiffany Fuller (Ryan); nephew: Aaron Conrad, Jr. (Tamara); an uncle: Douglas Joyner; a very supportive cousin: James (Bubba) Joyner, Jr.; sister-in-law: Cynthia Cloud; brothers-in-law: Robert Davis (Maxine), Larry Cloud (Sandra), Reginald Cloud, Gregory Cloud, Percy Cloud, Roland Cloud, and Raymond Cloud, and a host of many relatives and countless friends.

Because this journey was not ours alone to bear, Bruce's family wants to thank Althea Barbour, Tiara Johnson, and Nautica Baldwin for their dedicated services as his caregivers. We also thank Dr. Andrew Dothard and his staff at the Novant Health Cancer Institute for their constant kindness and compassion during Bruce's illness; CenterWell nurses and therapists for their concern and care of Bruce, and US Veterans Affairs for ensuring he got all the medical care he needed. We could not be more grateful to all of you. We will miss him forever.

A Service of Memory will be held 12:00 pm Saturday August 17, 2024 in the chapel of Hooper Funeral Home. The family will receive friends from 11:30am-12:00pm Saturday at the funeral home.

"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die." John 11:25