TOLEDO-Harold Douglas Carlson, age 93, of Council Bluffs and formerly of Toledo, died Sunday morning, February 17, 2008 at Risen Son Christian Village in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Funeral Services will be held Saturday, February 23, 2008 at 10:30 AM at Christ United Methodist Church Worship Center, 301 South Broadway, Toledo, Iowa, with Pastor Mary Schnepf officiating. Interment will follow at the Woodlawn Cemetery in Toledo. Visitation will be held Friday, February 22, 2008 from 5-7 PM at the Kruse-Phillips Funeral Home in Tama.
Harold Douglas Carlson was born on October 5, 1914 at the family farm near Brooklyn, Iowa, the second child of John N. and Julia Rosa (Douglas) Carlson. After graduating from Hartwick High School in 1931, he farmed with his parents for several years during the Great Depression.
Harold married Alta May Grier in Hartwick, Iowa on May 28, 1938. To their union were born five children. They farmed in the Brooklyn vicinity until 1948 when they purchased and moved to a farm one mile north of Toledo, Iowa; they farmed there until their full retirement in 1983. In 1995, they moved into Toledo, where they lived until they moved to assisted living near Council Bluffs, Iowa, in 2004.
Harold served the community as a member of the school board for Pleasant Run #1, the board of directors for the Federal Land Bank Association in Marshallltown, Farm Bureau, Kiwanis Club, and as an active member and officer of Otterbein Evangelical United Brethren Church/Christ United Methodist Church, Toledo.
During their retirement years, Harold and Alta enjoyed extensive travel in the U.S.A. with frequent journeys to their children's families. They took delight in their family and loved to spend time with their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren as much as possible.
Harold will be remembered as a loving husband, nurturing father, caring neighbor, respected farmer and businessman, and committed Christian.
Harold and Alta always valued the love and friendship of extended family, friends in the Toledo community, and their church family over the years. Harold's children deeply appreciate the care and support of the staff of Risen Son Christian Village since 2004 as well as the compassion and counsel of Hospice with Heart during the last month.
Preceding him in death were his parents; his wife of sixty-six years, Alta in 2004; his sister, Genevieve (John) Staffenbeal; and two brothers, John (Bonnie), and Frederick (Pat).
Harold is survived by four sons; Douglas (Sharon) of Boring, Oregon, George (Solveig) of Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin, Paul (Irene) of Raymond, Iowa, Carl (Alice) of Omaha Nebraska; one daughter, Carol (Gary) Thien of Council Bluffs, Iowa; sixteen grandchildren; twenty-two great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews; and many friends.
Memorials may be directed to Christ United Methodist Church or the American Cancer Society.