Carson C. Holden

Carson C. Holden, 49, of East Dorset, Vermont, passed away at his home on June 10, 2026. He was born in Springfield, Vermont, and spent most of his life in East Dorset, the community he called home.

Carson was a hard worker in every sense. For years he was a familiar face at Discount Beverage in Manchester, where his coworkers became like family. He also worked locally in landscaping, and whether it was the store or the yard, he showed up and got it done, though anyone close to him knew that “I’ll do it on Monday” was as much a motto as a timeline, and that the diagnosis for nearly any mechanical problem was “all it needs is a spark plug.”

He was an avid outdoorsman and hunter, and a member of a hunting camp in Stockbridge that he looked forward to every year. The draw wasn’t just the hunting. It was the camaraderie, the tradition, the familiar faces. He was a gentle man who cared about animals, and that combination fit him perfectly.

Even as a young man, Carson had a creative gift. He received a 1st place cash prize, in elementary school, for his drawing of a purple cow. It became one of those stories the people who loved him never let go.

Carson was devoted to his mother, Darlene, and lived with her his whole life. When she passed in November 2024, it changed him. He carried that grief quietly and deeply, as he carried most things. Through the years, his uncle Lee Fielding was a steady presence in his life, a mentor who showed up when Carson needed guidance and never let go. His uncles Bruce and Lynn Fielding were also part of the fabric of who he was.

He didn’t have a mean bone in his body. The people who knew him would tell you so without hesitation.

Carson is survived by his father, Charles “Chuck” Holden, and stepmother Rebecca Holden, of Madison, Maine; his brother, Derek Holden, and sister-in-law Danielle Holden, of Naples, Florida; his niece, Savannah Holden, and nephew, Garrett Holden; numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins; and his cat, Buddy, who kept him company at home.

Carson will be laid to rest beside his mother at a graveside service on Friday, June 19, 2026, at 11:00 AM at South Village Cemetery, Route 7, East Dorset, Vermont.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you simply remember him: the quiet guy who showed up, did the work, and never asked for much in return.

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

— Psalm 23