John Carlson

John W. Carlson, 70, of Iron Mountain formerly of Foster City passed away Monday, April 23, 2012, at the Oscar G. Johnson V.A. Medical Center after a 12 year battle with cancer and his family at his bedside. John was born and raised in Foster City, where he worked on the family dairy farm, and for Leonard Gedvick as a logger. In 1961, he quit school and enlisted in the United States Army. He received his GED while in the Army and was included as a member of the Felch High School Class of 1961. He married Judith Coello on Nov. 7, 1964, at Immaculate Conception Church in Iron Mountain. Upon return from the Army, John continued to work on the family dairy farm. He then left the family farm and moved to Iron Mountain to work for Grede Foundry. He was also the operator of the Murphy's Spur on North U.S. 2, and worked for Kleiman Pump and Well Drilling as a well driller and drilled many wells in the local Michigan and Wisconsin area. John's heart was in farming, and in 1972 he and his wife, Judy moved to Foster City and became the owners/operators of a 125 acre certified seed potato farm. In 1986, he quit his hand at farming and started J. Carlson and Sons Trucking, where he and his sons ran three pup trucks. He also raised deer cabbage with his wife Judy prior to his retirement in 2000 due to his diagnosis of cancer. John served on many committees such as the Dickinson County Soil Conservation, Michigan Crop Improvement as a Certified Seed Director and Secretary. He was also a member of the Metropolitan Farmer's Union, and also served on the Breen Township Zoning Board as a member and secretary. Family was very important to John. He cherished their weekend cookouts and pontoon rides with the kids/grandkids at their log cabin on the Hardwood Impoundment. John was also very grateful for the many potato employees and truck drivers that he employed to keep their businesses going over the years. John loved being outdoors and traveling. His hunting trips to Canada, and his motorcycle trips with his buddies just to name a few. He and Judy spent the past few winters in Palmetto, Fla., enjoying the warm weather and retirement life. He leaves his wife of 47 years, Judith; a daughter, Christine (William) McMahon of Foster City; a son, Robert of Felch and a son, Michael (Nancie) of Iron Mountain; grandchildren, James McMahon of Foster City, Laura Carlson of Iron Mountain and Chelsey Carlson of Iron Mountain; step-grandchildren, Eric and Chelsey Simone, Trisha (Damion) Millis, and Tony and Jessica Strader; sisters, Esther (David) Kobasic and Marilyn (Kevin Anger) Carlson; brother, Steven (Linda) Carlson; a sister-in-law, Mary (Wil Willman) Coello and a brother-in-law, Richard Coello; many neices and nephews and a special nephew, Dan (Stef) Kobasic; many cousins, aunts, and uncles. He is preceeded in death by his parents, Walter and Margaret Carlson; a brother, William; mother-in-law and father-in-law, John and Jeanne Coello; and a sister-in-law, Marguerite (Peg) Coello. Visitation will be Tuesday from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at Mission Covenant Church in Foster City. Funeral services will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. at the church. Rev. Carl Hammer will officiate. Burial will be in the Foster City Cemetery. Military rites will be accorded by the Felch-Breen Veterans of Foreign Wars. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Dickinson County Cancer Loan Closet. The family would like to share their appreciation from their friends for the many prayer chains, cards and Masses being offered in John's name. Everyone's thoughtfullness and compassion was greatly appreciated. We would also like to give a special thanks to Dr. Singh and his nurses, and all John's caregivers at the Oscar G. Johnson Community Living Center. Your special care, compassion and support to our husband/father was so appreciated in his final weeks of life. The family has entrusted the Erickson-Rochon & Nash Funeral Home with the funeral arrangements.

John Carlson

April 23, 1942 - April 23, 2012