Obituary of Alta L. Jamison

Alta L. McCormack Carbone Jamison, 81, of Pearland, was called home to be with our Lord on July 24, 2006. She passed peacefully in her sleep, surrounded by her loving family. A service celebrating her life will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 26, 2006, at Clayton Funeral Home, 5530 W. Broadway, Pearland, Texas, with Brother Norman Fry of Temple, Texas officiating. Private family interment will follow at South Park Cemetery. Those serving as honorary pallbearers are Ed Thompson, Herb Barrier, William Stack, Ferris Maness, Bobby Stack, Dennis McKeon and Donald Gum. Alta, the eldest of three daughters of William “Bill” and Joyce Maness McCormack, was born in Houston, TX on October 9, 1924. She grew up in Pearland and graduated from Pearland High School in 1942. Alta participated in sports and served as senior class president. She attended Southwestern Business University. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Pearland. In March of 1943, she was employed in the Special Services Office at Ellington Field, where she served as Chief Clerk until the field closed in March 1946. In 1945, Alta met her future husband, Dominick Peter Carbone of Long Island, New York, who was stationed at Ellington and a member of the USAF Band. They were married October 4, 1947, in Garden Villas Methodist Church and lived in Island Park, Long Island, NY until 1954, when they and their two sons moved back to Pearland. Her husband, Don Carbone, died February 12, 1980. Alta returned to the work force and was employed by the Pearland ISD Tax Office for eleven years before assuming the position of Tax-Assessor-Collector for Friendswood ISD in 1966. During those years, she was active in establishing professional standards for Tax Assessors. She served as President of the Texas School Assessors Association and President of the Gulf Coast Chapter of the Texas Association of Assessing Officers. She was a consultant for five years for the State Property Tax Board in Austin; and was chosen as one of the thirty tax assessor-collectors from over the State of Texas to serve as auditors of the various school districts’ property values. She retired in 1991 after twenty-five years in Friendswood Independent School District. After retiring, she volunteered for the Galveston County Visitors Bureau, the Southeast Hermann Memorial Hospital, and the Senior Friends of Clear Lake Hospital. She also enjoyed traveling with her retired friends. But her greatest pleasure in retirement was spending time with her grandchildren. Alta was very proud of them and she greatly enjoyed their company. On June 27, 1999, Alta married long time Pearland resident Herbert L. Jamison. They were active members of the Space Center Exxon-Mobil Retiree Club and she was a charter member of the Pearland Historical Society. Alta served as treasurer of the Historical Society for nine years. Alta and Herbert could have written a book on the history of Pearland. Together, they could answer almost any question about the early days. She was recently sharing her memories with her family and friends. Alta is survived by her loving husband, Herbert Jamison; two sons, Dominick P. Carbone, Jr. and wife Becky of Manvel, TX, and Michael E. Carbone of Houston; a sister, Norma Rae Kelly of Friendswood; four granddaughters, Gabriela Carbone of Chicago, Illinois, Michelle Carbone and Marcela Carbone of Houston, Cheri Goggans of Manvel, a grandson Tony Carbone and wife Crystal of Pearland; a step-daughter, Barbara Wooddell of Shepherd, TX; a step-son, Delbert Jamison and wife Molly of Sante Fe, TX; step-grand and great grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews, along with a host of friends. She was preceded in death by her parents and a sister, Marjorie Johnston. The family will receive visitors at the Clayton Funeral Home from 7:00 to 9:00 on Tuesday evening, July 25, 2006.