Ralph Carson Burke

Ralph Carson Burke, known to many simply as Carson, passed away on November 10, 2026, at the age of 65, at Kennestone Hospital in Marietta, Georgia, following a cardiac event.

Born to Betty Jo Allen and Fred Carson Burke, Carson was a lifelong creator, engineer, and entrepreneur. He proudly served in the United States Air Force, attaining the rank of Sergeant, before building multiple successful businesses in the aluminum awning industry. He had a natural ability to see how things could be improved and a passion for turning ideas into reality. Even after stepping away from business, he never stopped inventing, tinkering, and finding new things to create. His mind was always working on the next idea.

Carson was known for his humor, generosity, strong opinions, and endless supply of stories. He loved a good dad joke and could strike up a conversation with just about anyone. Stubborn and outspoken, particularly when it came to politics and current events, he was never one to keep his opinions to himself. But perhaps one of his greatest qualities was his generosity. If he had something to give, he gave it, whether it was his time, knowledge, resources, or simply a helping hand.

As a father, Carson was strong-willed and set in his ways, but he also believed in independence and individuality. Even when he disagreed with his children’s choices, he allowed them the freedom to express themselves, make their own decisions, and find their own paths..

Carson is survived by his daughter, Elizabeth Burke; his son, Austin Woodall; his stepdaughter, Danielle Asaro; his brother, Michael Burke; and his step-siblings, Wilbur Moncrief, Timothy Simmons, and Martha Dodson. He is also survived by his former wife and Elizabeth’s mother, Dawn Burke. He was preceded in death by his parents, Betty Jo Allen and Fred Carson Burke, and his sister, Belinda Skinner.

Carson will be laid to rest in the Burke family plot in Chesnee, South Carolina, alongside his father and grandparents. A graveside service will be held on Sunday, November 22, 2026, at 1:00 PM. Military honors will recognize his service in the United States Air Force with a three-volley rifle salute and presentation of the American flag.

Carson leaves behind more than the businesses he built and the things he invented. He leaves behind the people he helped, the stories he shared, and the memories that will continue to be told. He will be remembered for a mind that never stopped creating, hands that were always building, a generous heart, and a personality that was unmistakably his own.

He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered.