Carnahan

Funeral services for Rod William Carnahan,74, were held at 1 p.m. Friday, February 13, at Autry Funeral Home Chapel in Jacksonville. Interment was at Cathedral in the Pines in Tyler.

Rod William Carnahan passed away on February 9. He was a resident of Jacksonville since 1967. He was born on October 17, 1940 in McKeesport, PA. His family moved to Texas in 1949 when he was 9 years old. He graduated from Daingerfield High School in 1958 and from Texas A & M in 1963. He earned a law degree from LaSalleUniversity in Chicago in 1973. He retired as an internal Auditor for the East Texas and Beaumont Divisions for Entex, now Center Point Energy Gas Company. He was president of the Jacksonville Civitan Club in 1980 and was awarded the Outstanding President of Texas that year. He was also a Texas Real Estate Broker and loved the game of golf. He was a member of the Jacksonville Jaycees. He also had a large antique toy collection and did genealogy as a hobby for many years. His proudest moments in genealogy was finding out about his Great-Great Grandfather Thomas A. Carnahan’s war record with the Grand Army of the Republic in the Civil War. Thomas lost his leg in battle and served in five campaigns. His cousin Sara MacCormack Algeo wrote a book in 1925 “The Story of a Sub-Pioneer” which gave credit to all of the women who worked on the right to vote issue that was signed in 1920. Sara worked on the rights of women for many years. He was also able to find his son in law Andy’s roots as he was adopted when he was two. A two year project found Andy’s relatives on his mother’s and father’s side. Andy was able to meet all of them in 2008. Rod was awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award at Daingerfield High School in 2012. Rod traveled to Scotland, England, Wales, N. Ireland and S. Ireland in 2003 and that trip was the joy of his life. He loved traveling the mountains and seeing the beautiful Lochs of Scotland. The trip to St. Andrews Royal and Ancient Golf Clubs at St Andrews, Scotland was also a highlight of the trip. It also was an honor to attend Mass at St Patrick’s Catholic Church in Strathaven, Scotland on August 24, 2003 where his great grandmother Elizabeth Casey Brennen lived. She came to America in 1880 with her husband Thomas and their two children Mary and Margaret. He was a member of the Rolling Hills Golf Club. He is survived by his wife, Shirley and three daughters, Jamie LaPrairie, Julie Bunker, and Jill Reineck. Son, John Patrick Carnahan passed in October 13, 2003. He is buried at Cathedral of the Pines Cemetery in Tyler, beside his grandparents, Duane and Anna (Cochran) Carnahan. Grandchildren Brittany Ann LaPrairie, Charles Aaron LaPrairie, Jr., Mary Paige Bunker, Madison Ann Reineck, Bailey Rose Reineck, Kendall Grace Reineck. Great grandsons, Bransen Kyle LaPrairie, Brayden Hoye Ponder.