Lorraine Carlson

Lorraine M. Carlson, 82, Bismarck, passed away on Sunday, August 3, 2008, at the Greenville Health and Rehabilitation Center in Greenville, Texas, due to complications from a stroke. Services will be held at 10:00 AM on Friday, August 8 at McCabe United Methodist Church with Rev. Gary Walters officiating. Burial will be following at Sunset Memorial Gardens, Bismarck. Visitation will be held from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Thursday, August 7, at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck. Visitation will continue one hour prior to services at the church. Lorraine was born in Jamestown on January 21, 1926, to her parents, Theo and Katherine Hoffer. At a very young age she left her farm home near McClusky and moved to Bismarck, where her first job was working at Lenhart Drug Store. She eventually attended Capital Commercial College and Bismarck Junior College studying medical terminology. At the age of twenty one, Lorraine accepted a position with Bismarck Hospital and was employed in the admitting office for over twenty-five years. Upon retiring from Bismarck Hospital in 1981, Lorraine worked part-time at the Northbrook Mall Post Office and at the Fanny Farmer Candy Store in Kirkwood Mall. Rumor has it that she fibbed about her age to get the job at Fanny Farmer, as she felt the store would not want to hire someone in her seventies. In all her jobs, Lorraine took pride in being a professional, courteous, and dedicated employee who was not afraid to assume new roles and accept demanding challenges. When Lorraine was nineteen she met her future husband, Mylan Mike Carlson, in a spaghetti restaurant, and they were married in Bismarck on December 14, 1947. From this union three children were born, Randy, Connie, and Pat. After almost thirty-two years of marriage, Mike died in the summer of 1979 in a ranching accident. Lorraine was a long-time member of First United Methodist Church where she was active in her circle group. She served as an officer in Eastern Star, of which she was a member for forty-nine years, and, when her husband was alive, she was involved in various horse-related associations. Over the years, Lorraine spent many days and weeks accompanying her family to horse shows and rodeos around the country. Lorraine was an attractive, stylish woman who enjoyed entertaining, home decorating, traveling, playing cards, and spending time visiting and laughing with her friends and sisters, especially Freda. She will always be remembered as a loving, ambitious, and generous person who was proud of her children and grandchildren and took pleasure in celebrating their achievements and accomplishments. Lorraine will be dearly missed by her children, Randy Leslie Carlson, Collinsville, TX, Connie Steve Armstrong, Bismarck, ND, and Pat Arby Ward-Little Soldier, Greenville, TX; her grandchildren, Jesse Jason Armstrong-Jochim, Mandan, ND, Lacey Armstrong, Bismarck, ND, Winston Ward, Arlington, TX, and Tally Ward and Ryan Carlson, Lewisville, TX; her sister, Freda Keszler, Bismarck, ND; her brother, Sonny Virginia Hoffer, McClusky, ND; her brother-in-law, Bernie Krebsbach, Lodi, CA; and many special nieces, nephews, and cousins. Lorraine was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Mylan; her parents; her sisters, Elsie Erickson, Bismarck; Ella Fandrich and Delores Krebsbach, Lodi, CA; and her brothers-in-law, Harold Fandrich, Lodi, CA; and Johnny Erickson and Leonard Keszler, Bismarck. Lorraine’s family is extremely grateful to the staff at Greenville Health and Rehabilitation Center for their tender, loving care of Lorraine during the weeks she resided there.

Lorraine Carlson

January 21, 1926 - August 3, 2008