Carmen H. Charlson

FOREST CITY - Carmen Charlson, age 93 of Forest City, died Sunday, November 3, 2013 at the Good Samaritan Care Center in Forest City.

A Memorial Service will be held at 10:30 AM on Thursday, November 7, 2013 at West Prairie Lutheran Church in rural Leland with Pastor Steve Bang officiating. Inurnment will be in the West Prairie Lutheran Cemetery following the service. There will be no visitation.

Carmen H. Charlson was born on February 18, 1920 to Henry and Genette (Martinson) Charlson, near Leland, Iowa. She attended school in Leland and graduated from Waldorf College. Carmen started her career teaching rural school. After a few years, she switched occupations to doing office work at Dr. Safely's medical practice and then at People's Natural Gas, both in Forest City, where she met and enjoyed working with many people.

Carmen enjoyed visiting with her friends and had lots of hobbies. She played cards, pool, did crossword puzzles and word searches, loved to read books and newspapers, gardening, and trips to the library. Carmen also enjoyed, and was luckier than most people, with pull-tab, scratch, and lottery tickets.

Carmen was a life-long member of West Prairie Lutheran Church near Leland where she was active in her circle and served as church treasurer for many years.

Carmen is survived by her three nephews, Jerry Charlson of Los Angeles, California, Harley Charlson and wife Judy of Lincoln, Nebraska, David Charlson of Tulsa, Oklahoma; three nieces, Sue Clark of Parker, Colorado, Kathy Dirks and husband Joel of Harlan, Iowa, Sandy Charlson and husband Chris Lant of Carbondale, Illinois; sister-in-law, Gladys Charlson of Carbondale, Illinois; and numerous great-nieces and nephews, and great-great nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Arthur and Earl; two sisters, Margaret and Valborg; two nieces, Verlie and Nancy; and one nephew, Phillip.