Linda Marie Carlson

Linda Marie (Hansen) Carlson, 77, passed away peacefully Wednesday, April 8, 2020 at SpringBrook Assisted Living facility in Onalaska, WI, from the complications of Alzheimer’s disease.

Linda was born October 28, 1942 in La Crosse, Wisconsin to Helen (Borcherding) and Alvin Hansen. She lived in the La Crosse, Onalaska and Holmen area her whole life. Music was a large part of Linda’s life, including playing accordion and teaching at Danny’s Music in La Crosse while she was still in school. She also played the flute in the school band. Linda graduated from Logan High School in 1961. She took a secretarial job and Trane Company following graduation. That same summer she met the love of her life when her car broke down, and she took it to Carlson’s Texaco on Rose Street. There she met Darrell Carlson, son of the owner at the time. He repaired the car and asked her for a date, proposed in October and they were married on May 19, 1962 . They built a house together in Onalaska, board by board, as Linda’s dad, Alvin, was a carpenter. They purchased the land to build on from Darrell’s parents, Harry and Gertrude Carlson. Family was obviously very important to the pair, and having been told that they would never have children, Darrell and Linda began researching adoption but were surprised to find out only a few short months later that they were expecting! Linda quit her job at Trane Company and became part of the Carlson family business. Their marriage was blessed with three children, Susan, Carrie and David. Later, when Harry Carlson retired, they sold the gas station and moved the business to Holmen and it became Carlson’s Auto Electric. Artic Cat snowmobiles were a large part of their winter business, which was fun and exciting, with family rides and a racing team to keep the family busy. Never one to sit still, Linda served as the Town Clerk of Onalaska for more than 20 years, and also the Western Wisconsin Technical College Foundation Board for almost as long.

While they were never really retired from the family business, Linda and Darrell began stepping back as their son, David, took on more and more of the daily responsibilities, and eventually the whole business as Darrell passed in 2014 and Linda was forced to step down because of her advancing disease. Linda moved from the family home that she loved in the fall of 2017 to SpringBrook Assisted Living Facility, as it was becoming increasingly obvious that her Alzheimer’s was advancing.

Linda is survived by her children Susan (Steven) Asp of La Crosse, Carrie Goetz of Antigo, David (Lisa) Carlson of Holmen, her grandchildren Brian (Heather) Asp, Kaylin (Jarrod) Witkowiak, Jonathan (Kelsey) Carlson, Jacob Carlson, Tyler Carlson, Timothy (Della Rhose) Carlson, Robert Vernon and Emma Carlson, and her great-grandsons Jason and Wyatt Asp, her sister Joan Lindvik, her sisters-in-law Judy Pralle and Marilyn Cass, her Aunt Alice Schomburg and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Linda is preceded in death by her husband Darrell, her brother Jerry Hansen, her brothers-in-law Allan Lindvik and Vern Cass.

A private service of Christian Burial will be held for the immediate family. A Celebration of Life service will be announced once the quarantine restrictions are lifted. Memorials may be given to Good Shepherd Ev. Lutheran Church, Holmen, WI.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Dennis Ohlrogge and Dr. Thomas Loepfe of Mayo Clinic, all the staff and nurses at SpringBrook and the nurses and staff with Mayo Hospice Care for the respect, care and compassion that they all showed Mom as this disease progressed and as her needs increased.