Carl Carlson Obituary

Carl Alfred Carlson passed away at home on Tuesday, March 8, 2005, after a brief illness. He was born on June 9, 1920 in Bozeman, Montana to Sven August Robert Carlson and Bertha Crouse. He was raised on the family ranch in the rural community of Springhill, Montana with his older sisters Roberta and Maxine and younger brother Gus. He attended the one room Springhill School, high school in Bozeman, Montana University, and Kinman Business College in Spokane, Washington.He served as a Master Sergeant in the Army Air Corp (U.S. Air Force) during World War II. During the war he met and married Jo Frances Palmer of Dyersburg, Tennessee. They had four children: Carl, Nicci, Randi, and Cyndy. He lived and worked in Montana, Arizona, Washington, and Arizona again. Divorced in 1962 he remarried Beverly Kortsen, a divorced mother of three teenagers in 1966. With a household of seven teenagers (five girls and two boys), things were always hopping at the Carlson home. As he once wrote, ³We had three automobiles and a motorcycle, and I had to take the bus to work. Grocery buying was a three cart deal.² He served the community as an Assistant Scout Master for an Explorer Troop, as a Director of Junior Achievement, and Secretary and Treasurer of the Coconino County Republican Committee. A long career in banking began as a teller with the then Bank of Douglas (later renamed the Arizona Bank). He retired from the Arizona Bank as Senior Vice President in 1981. Returning to his Montana roots, he and Beverly built a retirement home adjacent to the family ranch in Springhill, Montana. They lived half the year there for sixteen years spending winters in their home in Arizona. Carl built the home himself with help from friends and a carpenter. His pastimes included planting and maintaining a large vegetable and fruit garden, playing the banjo, silversmithing (jewelry), raising sheep, and golf. He and Beverly enjoyed many overseas travels including a visit to the farm near Stafsjo, Sweden where his father was born in 1873. During their 16 half-years in Springhill Carl and Beverly were instrumental in reopening in 1983 the Springhill Community Church (built in 1906 on land donated by Carl¹s grandfather) including countless hours of sweat putting the prairie gothic church building back into worship shape. Carl also served as the President of the Cemetery Board where he helped organize fundraising and maintenance efforts that cleaned up the then-derelict Springhill Cemetery. Selling their country home in Montana they began living full time in Sun City West, Arizona in 1997. Carl was active in the Lapidary, Silvercraft, Men¹s Golf, and Computer Clubs. He served on the Board of the Lapidary and Silvercraft Clubs, President of the homeowner¹s association, and kept the handicap records for his golf club. He golfed often and enjoyed the regular company of his grown children, fourteen grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. During retirement he discovered a talent for writing humorous poetry, largely for the enjoyment of his grandchildren. A hard working, generous man who embodied a strong work and moral ethic; he never spent a day in pajamas. Due to a lifetime of investments he left a substantial estate to provide for his wife and children. He is survived by his loving family who are blessed to have laughed with, learned from, and leaned on him: wife Beverly, brother Gus (Alice) Carlson of Bothell, Washington; sister Maxine (Alden) Bebb of Pittsburg, Kansas; son Carl A. Carlson of Tucson, Arizona; daughters Nicci (Don) Barker of Snowflake, Arizona; Cyndy (Jim) Gabel Scholl of Payson, Arizona; Randi (Jim) Hinkle of Alameda, California. Step-children: daughters Debbie (Jim) Holland of Roseville, CA and Roxie (Bruce) Buchanan of Phoenix, Arizona; Son Andy (Jan) Lisonbee of Glendale, Arizona; as well as his many grand and great-grand children. A memorial service and reception will be held at 10:00 A.M., Saturday, March 19th at Camino del Sol Funeral Chapel, 13738 Camino del Sol, Sun City West. Interment will be in Springhill, Montana. The family requests donations to Habitat for Humanity in lieu of flowers.Visit this person¹s Guest Book at www.dailynews-sun.com.