William "Red" Carlson

William A. "Red" Carlson, 85 of Kingsford, died Fri. Nov. 13, 2015 at Dickinson County Memorial Hospital.He was born on July 18, 1930 in Iron Mountain, the son of the late Frank and Merle (Olson) Carlson. Red attended Iron Mountain Schools and graduated in 1948. Red had a strong work ethic and started his working career delivering papers, shining shoes, cutting and stacking wood, doing yard work and doing odd jobs at Bracco's Drug Store. He also worked at the A& P grocery store and in the blue print department at Lakeshore, Inc. He eventually went to work at the Niagara Paper Mill, where he worked for over forty years, retiring in 1990. Red was an excellent left-handed baseball pitcher and had many great opportunities to play baseball. For two years he played high school baseball and played one year with the Rangers. He pitched for the Chippewas and attended a Cubs baseball camp in Peru, Illinois. He also went to a baseball camp in Marquette and the Cubs' scout selected Red to wear Charlie Grimm's shirt and Phil Cavaretta's pants. In 1948 he was found by a White Sox scout. He signed a contract with the Chicago White Sox and in 1950 attended their spring training in Madisonville, KY. He played on the White Sox minor league teams and traveled in Kentucky and Tennessee. After Bill was released, he came home to pitch for the Niagara Badgers. In the summer of 1951 a scout for the Boston Red Sox signed Bill to a pitching contract and he was going to play for their minor league team in San Jose, CA. Unfortunately, Red hurt his pitching arm and was unable to go. He got engaged to his high school sweetheart Ernestine Tomassoni on Sept. 20, 1950 and the couple was married on January 20, 1951 at First Lutheran Church. She preceded him in death in 2006. Bill served in the National Guard for eight years. He had a passion for deer hunting and since 1951 enjoyed spending time at Camp Bologna in north Dickinson County. Red played in a men's fast pitch softball league. He enjoyed golfing and was a member of Oak Crest Golf Course and Pine Grove Country Club. Bill was a wonderful baker and cook, making Swedish limpa rye bread, cardamom bread, homemade pasties and ravioli, and old fashioned Italian sausage. He is survived by one son Thomas (Evelyn) Carlson of Antioch, IL, one daughter Joy Carlson of Kingsford, two brothers Frank (Montine) Carlson of Warner Robbins, GA, Lee (Barbara) Carlson of Neenah, WI , three granddaughters Carissa (Jeff Dixon) Hiltonen , Katie (Colin) Watson, and Colleen (Kyle) Wright, two step granddaughters Andrea (Chad) Wolever and Samantha Sager, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by one sister Josephine Kanik. Visitation will be Tuesday from 9:30-11 at Our Saviour's Lutheran church. Funeral services will follow at 11am at the church. Rev. Lee Liverance will officiate. Burial will be in Cemetery Park. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Our Saviour's Lutheran Church or the Almost Home Animal Shelter. Condolences to the family of William "Red" Carlson may be expressed online at www.ernashfuneralhomes.com The family has entrusted the Erickson-Rochon & Nash Funeral Home and Cremation Services ofIron Mountain with the arrangements.

William "Red" Carlson

July 18, 1930 - November 13, 2015