Walter Carlson

Walter Carlson, 99, of W. Cherry Lane, Carlsbad, New Mexico, passed away Saturday, October 29, 2016 at Good Life Assisted Living. Visitation will be 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM, Thursday, November 3, 2016 at Denton-Wood Funeral Home. Funeral services are scheduled for Friday, November 4, 2016, 10:00 AM, at First United Methodist Church with Reverend Dan Boyd officiating. Interment will follow in Sunset Gardens Memorial Park, Carlsbad, New Mexico. Carlsbad Veterans Honor Guard will provide military honors. Denton-Wood Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Walter Carlson was born March 21, 1917 in Soper, Oklahoma to John Frederick and Lula Isina (Robinson) Carlson. He graduated from Soper High School and earned his bachelor's from Southeastern Teachers College in 1939. Walter taught school in Broken Bow, Oklahoma and then moved to Belen, NM where he taught school one year. He served his country in the US Army-Air Corp from 1941 to 1945 as a weatherman. Walter married Jean Mollenkopf in 1943. He received his master's degree from University of New Mexico and they moved to Carlsbad in 1949 where Walter began teaching with Carlsbad Independent Schools. He taught shop, special needs and later became principal. Jean died in 1977 and Walter married Tommie Lee Cain later that year at Pate Elementary School involving school students as well as their grandchildren. Walter often worked summers at the Caverns and retired from Carlsbad Schools in 1990. He enjoyed traveling and woodworking. Walter was preceded in death by his parents; first wife, Jean Louise Carlson; second wife, Tommie Carlson; brother, Ben Carlson and sisters: Virgie Rossi and Luella Piercy. Survivors are his daughters: Judy Ledman and husband, John of Albuquerque, NM, Mary Marshall and Fred Hagman of Washington; sons: Tom Carlson and wife, Myra of Carlsbad, NM, John Carlson and wife, Melanie of Arizona; stepdaughter, Jennie Cain Oney of Carlsbad, NM; stepsons: Joe Cain, Jr. and wife, Lolita of Texas, John Cain and Karen Dickman of Carlsbad, NM; grandchildren: Eric Ledman, Polly Ledman, Katherine Marshall, Lori Robbins, Loni Carlson, Drew Carlson, Breanna Carlson, Stacie Turpin, Joe B. Cain, Kyra McLaughlin, Corey Cain, Nathan Cain, Ryan Cain, Melissa Treadaway, Karen Jones, Cynthia Lester, Jonna Williams, Tasha Broach and numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. Pallbearers will be Eric Ledman, Polly Ledman, Lori Robbins, Lance Robbins, Loni Carlson, Drew Carlson, Breanna Carlson and Katie Marshall. Honorary pallbearers are Stacie Turpin, Joe B. Cain, Kyra McLaughlin, Cory Cain, Nathan Cain, Ryan Cain, Melissa Treadaway, Karen Jones, Cynthia Lester, Jonna Williams and Tasha Broach. Memorial contributions may be made to Carlsbad Foundation Memorial Scholarship Fund, 114 S. Canyon Street, Carlsbad, NM 88220, 575-887-1131. Condolences may be expressed at dentonwood.com