Carol Julia Carlson, 93, of Carlton, passed away Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2006 at the Community Memorial Hospital in Cloquet. She was born Sept. 16, 1913 in Proctor, Minn., to Adolph and Signe Johnson. Carol was raised in Proctor and graduated from Proctor High School as valedictorian of the class of 1931. She belonged to the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Proctor and was a member of the choir and taught Sunday school for many years. She graduated from Duluth Teachers College and taught school in Poupore, Beaver Bay, Proctor and Frazee, Minn. Carol then became a governess in Cloquet for six years. She was united in marriage to Willis E. Carlson in 1941 in Proctor. They moved to Cloquet in 1945, and were active in Zion Lutheran Church. They then moved to Carlton in 1952, and transferred to Bethesda Lutheran Church where she was a member of the Ruth Circle and served as secretary for 13 years. Carol was also a member of the Carlton VFW Auxiliary Post 2961 and involved in all their activities. She was also a member of the Carlton County Board of Aging; a charter member of the Twin Star Homemakers; and a member of the former Women's Study Group; charter member of the Carlton Area Senior Citizens which she and her husband organized and she was secretary and treasurer and the program chairman until her death. Carol was a member of the former P.T.A. and served on the finance committee to help raise money for the playground next to the high school. The bingo for Pine View Apts. was put in place and run by her for many years. She enjoyed being a volunteer for Carlton Nursing Home for almost 45 years. Her hobbies included gardening, yard work, planting trees, reading, crocheting, quilting, bingo and cribbage. She was an active citizen in civic affairs attending many Carlton City Council meetings. Carol was a winner for the Cloquet Centennial book entitled 'Cloquet's Centennial Story'. She was also the winner for the Arrowhead Region area newspaper with the title 'Senior Circuit'. Carol was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Willis Carlson; brothers, Harry and Stanley Johnson. She is survived by two daughters, Karen (Leon) Mills of Saginaw, and Linda Newlon of Cloquet; one brother, Kermit Johnson of Jensen Beach, Fla.; grandchildren, Jeffery Brustad of St. Louis Park, Minn., Jonathan Brustad of Two Harbors, Minn., Julieann LaBelle (David) of Memphis, Tenn., Bethany Newlon of Superior, Wisc., and Jacob Newlon of Cloquet; and great-grandchildren, Michael LaBelle and Amanda Keegan. VISITATION:1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 10, 2006 until the 2 p.m. funeral service in Bethesda Lutheran Church in Carlton. Interment services will be at Hillside Cemetery followed with a luncheon in the church social hall. The family has selected Nelson Funeral Care to assist them with arrangements. See their online guest book at www.legacy.com. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.

Published in the Duluth News Tribune on 11/9/2006.