Donald Rudolph Carlson

Donald Rudolph Carlson age 87 of Bay Lake Township died on August 11, 2021 at his home. He was born July 31, 1934 to Andrew and Anna Carlson near Coffee Lake, Bay Lake Township.  He graduated from Crosby-Ironton High School in 1952.  In 1953-1954 school year, he purchased the East Bay Lake bus, taking kids to school during the school year and in the summer, he brought kids back and forth to the Bay Lake Camp owned by the 1st Lutheran Church St. Paul.  He sold the bus to Dayton Humphrey in 1959.  June 8, 1957, he married Mary Helen Scarr at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Crosby.  Soon arrived Allison Ann, Kevin Allen, Amy Lynn and Andrew Leonard.  

He was the Bay Lake Township Clerk from 1960 – 1974.  Don worked as an electrician with his father-in-law and in 1974, he purchased Scarr Electric and sold it in 1994.  Through the years he belonged to the Sportsman Club, Deerwood Rifle Club, bowled Thursday night Straight-away in Crosby and for many, many years was a member of the Bay Lake Sno-Packers, being “Trail Master”.  In 1982, he was charter President for the newly formed Bay Lake Area Lions, serving many positions, especially Chaplain for many years.  When the club acquired a mobility bus to service anyone who needed a ride, Don was the Thursday bus driver, driving until he turned 80.  He sang in the church choir and served in the church wherever.  He helped to distribute food for Cuyuna Range Food Shelf in the frozen food section for many years.

Don loved his family, friends, God and our country.  Preceding Don in death are his parents, Andrew and Anna, brother Alan, sister Ruth Hansen, brother-in law Curt Hansen, sister-in-law Sue Scarr, aunts, uncles and cousins.

Surviving is his wife, Mary of 64 years, children, Allison (Brad), Kevin (Lea), Amy (John) and Andy (Sheila). Grandchildren, Brenna (TJ), Anna (Dillon) Cassie (Bennett), Morgan (Jeff), Peter (Jessica), Ryne, Derek (Kara), Kale (Matt), Ben (Berlin) and Shelby (Cam).  Great grandchildren, Hayden, Lucy, Asa, Svea, Holden, Hazel and Oslo. Sister-in-law Dawn Marie and brother-in-law Robert, many nieces, nephews and cousins.

A Memorial service will be held 11:00 a.m. Monday, August 23, 2021 at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Crosby.  Burial will be at the Bay Lake Cemetery.  A visitation will be held on Sunday at the Koop Funeral Home in Crosby from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Monday one hour prior to the service at the church.  Memorials are  preferred to Immanuel Lutheran Church, Crosby—Mana for Malawi and Cuyuna Range Food Shelf.