John H. Carlson, age 100, passed away on December 5, 2021. He had a very happy married life of 66 years before his wife, Marguerite, passed in 2019. They were blessed with the following Family: sons Kevin and wife Sammie and two grandchildren Michael (Christy) and Callista; Trent and wife Paula with eight grandchildren, John (Diane), Mikel (Josh), Whitney (Stephen), Trevor, Danielle (Javi), Bailey (Mark), Chase (Danielle), Greg (Lindsey); Lisa and husband Kent and two grandchildren Daniel and Michele (Mario). Further blessed with 16 great grandchildren. Several grandnieces, nephews, great grand nieces and nephews. John was preceded in death by his parents, brother Emmanuel (Dorothy), sisters Anna May (Udell) and Emma (Lawrence).
He was born and raised on ranch in Southwestern Colorado in the days of silent black and white movies and colorful cars as long as they were black. He experienced life during the Depression of the ‘30s and graduated from Ignacio High School in 1939. Thence to Business College in Denver. He was one of the Greatest Generation and served in the Naval Reserve (1942-1946) in the South Pacific in flight crews flying in dive and torpedo bombers off Carriers USS Saratoga and USS Princeton.
Following an honorable discharge from the U.S. Navy Reserve tenure in the service of BS degree in Electrical Engineering and minor in Civil Engineering were obtained from the University of Colorado. He went to work for the Topographic Division, in Denver, of the U.S. Geological Survey. He traveled extensively throughout the Rocky Mountain Region, surveying and compiling other pertinent data for the publication of topographic maps. The change of jobs moved him to work for Miner & Miner Consulting Engineers of Greeley Colorado to work in his major field of Electrical Engineering. The later years were with the Rural Electrification Adm as Field Representative in the Southwest Region headquartered in Albuquerque. He traveled the States of AZ, CA, NM, and TX assisting in management and operations of rural electric systems. He was a registered Professional Engineer and Land Surveyor, a member of the American Society of Electrical Engineers, American Society of Civil Engineers, American Congress on Surveying and Mapping.
In Lieu of flowers it is his wish, for those who desire, to make a contribution to the Callisto and Catherine Luchini Scholarship Fund, Fort Lewis College, 1000 Rim Drive, Durango, CO 81301.
A memorial service will be held at 10am on Saturday, June 4, 2022 at the Allison Community Church, 2724 County Road 329, Ignacio, Colorado 81137, with interment following at Allison-Tiffany Cemetery.