Helen Lydia Carlson, a native of Erie, and resident of Alexandria, Virginia, passed away in Alexandria, Virginia, on March 13, 2013. Miss Carlson was born in Erie, Pa. on January 17, 1917, the daughter of Oscar and Mary Carlson. Upon graduation from Strong Vincent High School, Miss Carlson began a public service career working for the Pennsylvania State Employment Office in Erie, before moving to Washington D.C. in 1946 to be a secretary in the office of U.S. Representative Robert (Lew) Rodgers (R-PA). Later in her 30-year career on Capitol Hill Miss Carlson served as the Executive Secretary to U.S. Representative Carroll Kearns (R-PA), and as a Legislative Aide to Representative Laurence Burton (R-UTAH). Miss Carlson was the Executive Secretary to the Republican National Convention Platform Committee in 1972, and was a charter member of the Capitol Hill Club. Miss Carlson retired in the mid-1970s but maintained her keen interest in politics and current events and enjoyed family, reading, travel, genealogy research, bridge and theater. Besides her parents, Miss Carlson was preceded in death by four brothers, Eugene, Jack, Robert, and Martin, her sister, Maxine, her nephew, William, three sisters-in-law, Eileen, Muriel, and Mildred Carlson, and a brother-in-law, Roy Fountain. She is survived by her brother, Donald, of Erie, seven nephews, Jack Carlson, Mark Carlson, Martin Carlson, Eric Carlson, Gregory Carlson, Lewis Fountain, and Stephen Fountain, seven nieces, Mary Lou Carlson-Perry, Ann St. John, Mary Fountain Blakeslee, Susan Fountain, Elizabeth Fountain Knowles, Cynthia Heise and Nancy McMahon, as well as twenty-two grand nieces and nephews and nine great grand nieces and nephews. Friends are invited to call on Monday, April 1, 2013 at Brugger Funeral Homes & Crematory, 1595 West 38th Street at Greengarden Boulevard from 9 a.m. until the time of a prayer service there at 10 a.m., followed by a Funeral Mass at St. George Church at 10:30 a.m. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to So Others Might Eat, 71 O Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001. Condolences and photos may be sent at www.bruggerfuneralhomes.com.