Rev. Earl Carlson

***SERVICE UPDATE***

A funeral service will be held at 11:oo a.m., Saturday, July 24, 2021 at Our Savior's Lutheran Church, 1300 Mansfield St., Chippewa Falls, WI with Rev. Karen Behling officiating.  Visitation will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the church.

The committal service for both Earl and Gladys Carlson will follow at 3:00 pm in Balsam Lutheran Church Cemetery in Amery, Wisconsin

Rev. Earl W. Carlson, 101, of Chippewa Falls, died peacefully at the Chippewa Manor on Easter Sunday, April 12, 2020.

Earl was born on February 3, 1919, to Walter and Velugu (Edman) Carlson in Apple River township, Polk County, Wisconsin 7 miles north of Amery, WI. He married Gladys Lundberg in 1945 after his ordination from Augustan Seminary. Earl faithfully served the Lord as an ordained minister for 75 years including in the 8 congregations to which he was called: Youngsville, Chandlers Valley and Berea ,PA; Big Rapids MI; Harvey, Kewanee, and Berwyn, IL;  Brainerd, MN; and into his retirement years.  His retirement activities included weddings, baptisms, preaching and teaching as needed by family, the Chippewa Manor and Our Savior’s Lutheran Church of Chippewa Falls.  He was fondly referred to as the Energizer Bunny - he kept on going!

Earl enjoy camping, hunting, fishing, working with wood, traveling, singing, and telling stories and jokes. In his younger days he played racketball, softball and horseshoes, always carrying a volleyball net/ball and horseshoes/stakes in his trunk.

Many summers were spent fishing and entertaining family and friends in the cabin at South Long Lake in Brainerd, MN area. In 1985, Earl and Gladys, after years of living in parsonages, moved into their own home, built on their South Long Lake property. In 2000, they moved from the lake to Woodland Acres in Brainerd, MN and then in 2012, to the Chippewa Manor Retirement Community, Chippewa Falls, WI where he lived until weeks before his death.

Earl is survived by his children, Ruth (Randy) Lundblad of Eau Claire, Rev. Paul (Dr. Sandra) Carlson of Bolingbrook, IL, Tim (Laura) Carlson of Somenauk, IL, and Rev. Naomi (Rev. Tom) Powers of Troutville, VA; brother, Rev. Rueben (Kay) Carlson of Wittenberg, WI; 13 grandchildren and 13 Great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Gladys in 2013; and sister, Lucille Peterson Stone in 2008.

Earl will be remembered for his love of all God’s people, his laughter, his jokes, his faithful service to the gospel and his gratefulness to God for His grace.

A funeral service will be held at 11:oo a.m., Saturday, July 24, 2021 at Our Savior's Lutheran Church 1300 Mansfield St, Chippewa Falls, WI with Rev. Karen Behling officiating.  Visitation will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the church.

The committal service for both Earl and Gladys Carlson will follow at 3:00 pm in Balsam Lutheran Church Cemetery in Amery, Wisconsin