Michael L. Carlson

Michael Carlson, age 78, passed away the morning of October 11, 2024 at Ava’s House surrounded by family and friends. Michael was diagnosed with stage four esophageal cancer on July 12, 2024 and handled his diagnosis with grace leaning on his Lord and Savior for his strength.   Michael Leon Carlson was born to Alvin and Edna (Mathews) Carlson on February 10, 1946. At the age of twelve Michael was not only working alongside his dad on the weekends and during the summer months but was getting paid for a man’s wages. Michael graduated from Washington High School in 1964. He went on to attend Sioux Falls College. When his dads hired man decided to quit Michael went back to work full time while continuing college, graduating in 1970 with a degree in accounting. At age 36 he lost his dad and partner to a tragic accident.  Instead of going into accounting he chose to continue where his dad left off and use his degree to run Carlson Garbage service bringing it into the second generation. He owned and operated the business from 1968 to 2008. With one full day of retirement under his belt Michael went to work doing the books for Todd at Custom Tank, later working at Gary’s Gun Shop, his dream job. As Michael would put it, “In 2011 I met my true love, Carolyn Goudy, we married in 2013.”.   Michael loved being a dad, and fell into the roll with ease. Never trying to take David’s place but always letting her know he was there for her. The cards he got from her for Fathers Day spoke volumes of the depth of her love for him.  It was supposed to be such a happy year, but tragically we lost our daughter, Samantha, to adult SIDS in December of that same year. He had waited 65 years to become a dad, so thank you to all who listened to him tell stories of his sweet daughter, it helped him process his grief and we found that there was no sweeter sound then our daughters name spoken from the lips of someone else. 
 We enjoyed many summers at the cabin on Brant Lake, boating, fishing and kayaking. Summers were split between the cabin and sporting clays. Michael retired during Covid and I followed the following January which gave us more time to travel.   Michael was an avid reader, enjoying a wide variety of books. Michael was a member of the National Sporting Clay Association, and at one time was a member of trap shooting league. In 2011 Michael became a member of First English Lutheran Church in Lennox and served on several boards, including the First English Lutheran Samantha Goudy Ministerial Scholarship board. 
 Grateful for having shared his life is his wife Carolyn, his sister Linda (Roger) Klos, Sioux Falls, SD, brother and sister in laws, Linda (Robert) Lucas, Irene, SD, Sharon (Ken) Hejl, Brandon, SD, Donald (Darla Goergen) Peterson, Viborg, SD, Jane (Jake) Salathe, Huron, SD, and a host of nieces and nephews and their children. Michael was a sweet and gentle man.
 Proceeding him in death are his parents Alvin and Edna and his stepdaughter Samantha. 

Services will begin at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, October 19 at First English Lutheran Church, Lennox, SD, with burial to follow at Hills of Rest Cemetery. Visitation, with the family present, also at First English Lutheran Church, will be 5 to 7 p.m., Friday, October 18 with a prayer service at 6:40 p.m. Memorials that are dear to his heart are the Samantha’s scholarship fund through First English Lutheran Church (Check would be made out to FELC with Samantha scholarship in the memo) and the Lincoln County Fairgrounds.