Margaret Carlson

Prior Lake, MN: Margaret M. Carlson, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend, of New Perspective Senior Community, Prior Lake, MN, and previously a long-time resident and engaged citizen of Bowdle, died January 12, 2020, at the age of 99.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 AM, Thursday, January 16, 2020 at St. Augustine’s Catholic Church, Bowdle, with Father Darin Schmidt, Celebrant. Interment follows at the Church Cemetery.

Musicians will be Margy Bobby, Jeanne Bieber, grandson Byron Carlson, and Ann Thomsen. Mass server will be Krystal Geier and usher will be Jadon Geier. Lector and offertory gift bearers will be grandchildren Stefan Carlson, Patrick Carlson, and Sarah Wells.

Public visitation begins 6:00 PM Wednesday at the funeral home with the Rosary, led by daughter-in-law Ethel Carlson, being prayed and memories of Margaret being shared at 7:30 PM.

Born August 29, 1920 in Napoleon, ND to John and Caroline (Horner) Kuhn, Margaret was the fourth youngest of 8 children. She was educated in the Napoleon schools and attended Capital Commercial College in Bismarck, ND. She served as Deputy Register of Deeds for Logan County, ND prior to her marriage to Bernard Albert Carlson on November 25, 1943 in Napoleon. After their marriage, Margaret moved to Medford, OR and was able to relocate with Bernard through several army base reassignments until he shipped out from San Diego for significant combat action in the Pacific Theatre of WWII. She then returned to Napoleon and stayed with her family until Bernard returned from WWII. They initially relocated in 1946 to Jamestown, ND but in 1948 they moved to Bowdle where they had purchased the Bowdle Hardware store. Bernard and Margaret raised their family and operated the Bowdle Hardware store until 1983.

Margaret was a tremendous asset to Bernard in the ownership and management of the Bowdle Hardware while raising a family with six boys and a girl. Her Catholic faith held high importance in Margaret’s life. She was an active member of St. Augustine’s Church (including Church Council, Altar Society, CCD teacher and providing flowers from her garden) in Bowdle until 2009 when she moved to Prior Lake to be nearer family and became a parishioner of St. Michael’s Church.

During her 62 years in Bowdle, she was a founding member of the Mother’s Club, member of the American Legion Auxiliary, Band Mothers and Bridge Club, leader of a boys’ 4-H club, and active volunteer for Boy Scouts and Bowdle Schools (PTA, room mother, band trip chaperone). Margaret worked 20 years at the Bowdle Hospital as a nurse’s assistant, helping in surgeries and was in charge of Social Service and Activities for the Swing Bed Program, retiring in 1989.

Margaret was a quintessential wife and busy mother helping her small-town community when the need arose, always interested in the town and its friendly community. She was altruistic and driven, strong and outgoing, caring and loving. She stressed the importance of education to her children as well as their contributions of time to the community. She will always be remembered as a great cook, baker, and gardener. She loved Bible Study, square dancing, playing bridge (and bingo in her later years), fishing, and traveling and vacationing with the growing Carlson family, her brother and sister, Father Leo and Sister Ramona, and as the years passed, traveling with or to her children’s families to enjoy spending time with them.

Preceding Margaret in death was her husband of 60 years, Bernard (in 2004); parents; brothers Peter, John, Wendlin (Tom), (infant) Francis and (Father) Leo; sisters Rose (Bitz), Mary (Sister Ramona), and Juliana (Bitz); infant daughter Elizabeth Ann and grandson Jeffrey.

Margaret is survived by sons Bernard (Ethel) of Brownsville, TX, John (Darlene) of Scottsdale, AZ, Richard (Elsa) of Snohomish, WA, Stephen (Anne) of Missoula, MT, Timothy (Susan) of Santa Fe, NM, and Dennis (Julie) of Burlingame, CA; daughter Susan (Weinberg) of Robbinsdale, MN; and grandchildren Michelle (Imholte), Eric, Byron, and David, Matthew (Weinberg), Sarah (Wells), Alexander, Andrew, Stefan, Daniel and Patrick; great-grandchildren Kathryn, Samantha and Rachel (Imholte), Brady, Sierra and Noah, Hadley and Haley; and many nieces and nephews.

Casketbearers will be grandchildren-Daniel Carlson of Burlingame; Michelle Imholte of Jordan, MN; Matthew Weinberg of San Francisco, CA; Eric Carlson of Ft. Worth, TX; Andrew Carlson of Redmond, WA; and Alex Carlson of Missoula.

Services are in care of Lien Funeral Home, Bowdle. (www.MillerLienFH.com)