Gladys Lorraine Carlson

Following an extended illness, Gladys Lorraine Carlson, 89, of Mount Airy, North Carolina, passed away on January 29, 2024, at Northern Regional Hospital in Mount Airy.

Gladys was born on August 6, 1934, in Salix, Iowa, to Donald and Violet Clabaugh. She was raised on a family farm in Westfield, Iowa, and graduated from Westfield Consolidated School. Gladys moved to Sioux City, Iowa, and worked at Master Manufacturing. She managed the office while doing secretarial and bookkeeping work.

On August 14, 1965, Gladys married Merritt Carlson, Jr., at the Cathedral of the Epiphany. They initially settled in Marshalltown, Iowa, and Gladys became a homemaker while they started a family. They moved to Ankeny, Iowa; La Crosse, Wisconsin; and finally La Crescent, Minnesota. While living in La Crescent, Gladys continued her role as a homemaker and assisted her husband with his in-home accounting business. In 1993, Gladys and Merritt moved to Fort Collins, Colorado, to enjoy their retirement. After Merritt’s death, Gladys eventually moved to North Carolina to be closer to family.

Gladys was an excellent cook who prepared delicious turkeys for Thanksgiving dinners. She had many hobbies including crafting, sewing, quilting, and making floral arrangements. She especially liked working with porcelain and made life-like dolls.

Survivors include a daughter, Tammy Kisken, of La Crosse, Wisconsin, and a son, Martin Carlson (Teresa) of Pinnacle, North Carolina, and two granddaughters, Adeline and Madalyn. She is also survived by a sister-in-law, Joan McDermott, of Elk Point, South Dakota, and brother-in-law, Carl Nelson, of Sioux City, Iowa, and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, and sisters, Margaret Nelson and infant Janet Clabaugh.

A visitation will be held beginning at 9:00 a.m. Saturday, February 17, 2024, at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Sioux City. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. at the church. Following mass, interment will be at Calvary Cemetery in Sioux City. Pallbearers will be Michael McDermott, Mark McDermott, Matthew McDermott, and Ricci Nelson.