Gilbert Leroy Carlson

Funeral services for Gilbert Leroy Carlson will be 2:00 Wednesday, March 11, 2015, at the Freedom Christian Church with Pastor Mark Kinkle officiating. Interment will be in the Freedom Cemetery under the direction of Marshall Funeral Home of Alva. Gilbert Leroy Carlson, son of the late Charles Leroy and Dorres (Beagley) Carlson, was born February 14, 1925, at Attica, Kansas, and passed away March 6, 2015, at Alva, Oklahoma, at the age of 90 years and 22 days. Gilbert attended school at Enterprise School at Lookout, Oklahoma, through the 8th grade, then transferred to Freedom High School. After he graduated from high school he worked on the family farm until he married. He met Lois Maxwell of Selman and they were married February 24, 1946, in Lookout. Gilbert’s brother, Leonard Carlson, performed the ceremony. Gilbert and Lois lived in the Lookout and Freedom communities during their married life. One son, Denis Leroy Carlson, was born to this marriage. He worked for Ralph Klepinger and Melvin Patterson doing cattle work and farming. Later, Gilbert rented grass and farm land where he milked cows, raised chickens and pigs to take care of his family. He had his own horse so he helped surrounding ranchers work their cattle. He loved being a cowboy, cutting wheat, and baleing hay for himself and his neighbors. Gilbert and his son, Denis, started farming and ranching together in 1972. Denis and Sara and their children took over the farming and ranching in 1995. Then Gilbert spent his retirement working for Rural Water District until 2008 when he retired after 30 years of service due to ill health. They later moved to Alva due to illness and necessity of medical care. Gilbert loved his family and provided well for them. He was well known in the community and will be missed by family, friends, and neighbors. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Leonard; his sister-in-law, Betty Carlson; and four brothers-in-law, Cleo Maxwell, Melvin Thompson, Ray Pantry, and Ernest Burrows. Gilbert is survived by his wife, Lois Carlson; son, Denis Carlson and wife, Sara; grandchildren, Lynn and Tippe Bolar, Pebbles and Ky Luddington, Lonnie Bolar, Pake and Jackie Carlson, all residing in and around Freedom; 7 great granddaughters; 5 great grandsons; and four great great grandsons. Also surviving are three sisters-in-law, BettyJo Maxwell of Rosamond, California, Joyce Thompson of Mobile, Alabama, and Zola Pantry of Oklahoma City; one brother-in-law, Donald Maxwell of Alva; a very special friend, Betty Robertson of Buffalo; other relatives and many friends. Memorial contributions may be made through the funeral home to the Freedom Ambulance.

Gilbert Leroy Carlson

February 14, 1925 - March 6, 2015