Memorial services for 61-year-old Robert “Bob” Carlson of Mountain Lake, Minnesota, will be held at 1 p.m. on Thursday afternoon, August 18, 2016, at the Alliance Missionary Church in Mountain Lake, Pastor Kevin Walzak officiating. The church is located at 809 5th Avenue.
Visitation will be at the church the day of the service from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by Sturm Funeral Home-Mountain Lake Chapel. You may send the family condolences online at www.sturmfh.com.
Robert “Bob” Carlson passed away unexpectedly at his home on Thursday, August 4, 2016.
Robert “Bob” Duane Carlson was born on April 28, 1955, in Slayton, Minnesota, the son of Roy and Lorraine (Schaffer) Carlson, and grew up on a farm near Lake Shetek. He graduated from Tracy Public High School in 1973. Bob served with the United States Marine Corps from 1974-1978. In 1980, he graduated with an auto body degree from Jackson Vocational-Technical Institute in Jackson, Minnesota.
For nine years, he ran an auto body shop in Mountain Lake. For the 10 years following, he was employed by The Toro Company in Windom, Minnesota. After this, he returned to his passion of auto body work, and was self-employed at the time of his death. His attention to meticulous details, and the work he did, were second to none.
In 1981, he married Mary Jo Heiderscheidt in Tracy, Minnesota. They had a daughter, Bobby Jo; a son, Bill and a daughter, Brandy. They lived in Springfield for four years and later made their permanent home in Mountain Lake.
Survivors include his children, Bobby Jo (Josh) Nickel and their children, Peter and Jacob, Bill Carlson (Robin Songkham), and Brandy (Ryan) Schwartz and their children, Elijah, Thomas, Natalie and William; his former wife, Mary Jo Carlson; brothers, Tom (Shirley) Carlson, Jim Carlson, Fran (Sandy) Carlson, John (Lori) Carlson, Joel Carlson and Mike (Melissa) Carlson; sisters, Kathy (Doug) Bloemke, Paulette (Joe) Stafanick, Camilla (Jim) Schmidt and Marlene (Rob) Morgan and many nieces and nephews.
Preceding him in death were his infant son, Nicholas; his parents; two nephews and one niece.
His powerful personality touched many lives. He was called home to a beautiful place of rest and peace sooner than expected, and will be dearly missed.