Obituary for Carla Carlson
Carla Carlson of Lords Valley PA, and formerly of Middletown,  died on Thursday November 30 at O.R.M.C. Horton Campus Middletown, NY. She was 56. The daughter of Charles Theodore Carlson and Mary Jane Greiner Carlson, she was born on November 2, 1950 in Yonkers, NY. She grew up in Washington Heights in Manhattan until her family moved to the countryside of Putnam Valley in Putnam County when she was a girl. Carlson touched the lives of all those she met. You could ask for no better friend, mentor or advocate than Carla.  With her on your side, all things were possible. A certified New York state police instructor, she was the former staffing and training coordinator for the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, where she led the recruits and officers in classes ranging from ethics in law enforcement to basic policing. Her duties included conducting background investigations on applicants, coordinating benefits for employees and leading classes for correction officers and deputies. Her work spearheading a New Employee Orientation Program and Corrections Cultural Awareness Training Program at the Sheriff’s Office was recognized with National Association of Counties Awards in 1991 and 1993, respectively. Among  her favorite assignments was to go with deputies distributing gifts to needy children at the House on the Hill at Christmas time. A woman of many talents and interests, Carla served as a volunteer and instructor with the then-Orange County Sheriff’s reserve deputy program. She also previously worked as a substance abuse counselor, domestic violence counselor, and an emergency medical technician with the Putnam Valley Volunteer Ambulance Corps. She had careers as a talent and music agent; dental hygenist and psych nursing assistant at the VA Hospital at Montrose. An animal lover and ardent fan of Halloween, boxing, scary movies, and TV police dramas, especially Law and Order, Carla dedicated herself to the advancement of law enforcement. She earned a certificate in law enforcement/security at Orange County Community College. She served on the Middletown Human Relations Commission, on the Middletown Democratic Committee, and on the executive board of the Orange County Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Council. She was the former chairwoman of the Orange County Women’s Network and served as a campaign coordinator in several Middletown political races. She is survived by a son, Garth Mason of Poughkeepsie; her fiancee, Chris Mele, and his two children, Michael and Daniel of Lords Valley, PA.; and her two beloved cats, Mischa and Fabio. Family and friends may call on Sunday, December 3rd from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9pm at Applebee-McPhillips Funeral Home, Inc., 130 Highland Avenue, Middletown, NY 10940. A funeral service will be held at 8 pm at the funeral home. Cremation will be private, at the convenience of the family. Funeral arrangements under the direction of Applebee-McPhillips Funeral Home, Inc.
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