Carlson, Chester Gilmore (1906-1996)

CARLSON, WESTRUM, SPECK, ARKLIE, JOHNSTON, ARENDS, DICK, COTTINGTON

Posted By: Debbie Greenfield (email)
Date: 12/12/2020 at 10:51:58

Stratford Courier
December 18, 1996

Chester Carlson, 90, of Stratford, died Monday, December 16, 1996, at Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames. Funeral services were held Wednesday at the Christian Church in Stanhope, with Rev. Henry Grant officiating. Burial was in the South Marion Cemetery, southeast of Stratford.

Chester Gilmore Carlson, son of Theodore and Jennie Westrum Carlson, was born January 12, 1906, on a farm east of Stratford. He attended the Bitter Creek rural school and graduated from Stanhope High School in 1925. He also attended Iowa State. He started farming with his father and brother. On August 10, 1931, he married Clara May Speck at Ames. The couple operated a livestock and grain farming operation southwest of Stanhope for 62 years. He had resided at the Stratford Nursing and Rehab Center since the fall of 1993. Mrs. Carlson preceded him in death in September of this year.

He is survived by sons and daughters-in-law; Varlen and Fern Carlson of Stanhope, Richard and Sonya Carlson of Webster City, Chris Carlson and Anne Arklie of Stratford, daughters and sons-in-law; Joann and James Johnston of Boone, Jane and Larry Arends of Albert Lea, Mn., 18 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; brother; Wendell Carlson of Boone, sister; Maxine Dick of Stratford, several nieces and nephews.

In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by a daughter; Karen Sue Carlson, a granddaughter; Deborah Johnston, brother; Ransom Carlson and sister; Arlene Cottington.

He was a member of the Christian Church; a charter member, former district treasurer and held many local offices of the Stanhope Lions; past president of the Stanhope Consolidated School; board member of the Stanhope Cooperative; past president of the Hamilton County Fair Exposition; Farm Bureau member; former member of the Hamilton County 4-H Boys Livestock Judging Team; an adult 4-H leader; a recipient of the Iowa State Alumni Service Key Award; a member of the Hamilton County Historical Society.