Vernis Carlson

Vernis E. Carlson, age 85, of Willmar, died Tuesday, July 17, at Bethesda Heritage Center in Willmar following a short illness.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 A.M., Saturday, July 21st, at Peterson Brothers Funeral Home in Willmar. The interment will be in the Cloverleaf Memorial Park Cemetery in Willmar. Memorials are preferred to the American Cancer Society. Friends may call Friday from 5-7 P.M. and 1 hour prior to the service at the funeral home. (www.petersonbrothers.com)

Vernis Elaine (Pearson) Carlson was born on April 10, 1927, on the farm near Grove City, Minnesota, the daughter of Selma Emma (Herr) and Oscar Emmanuel Pearson. She grew up and received her education in the Atwater area. Vernis worked for various farm families in the area helping with cooking, cleaning, taking care of children and doing chores around the farms. On January 5, 1952, she was married to Severin Roland Carlson at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Atwater and they made their home in the Willmar area for a short time. They moved to the Atwater area and they lived there for 12 years before moving back to Willmar in 1973. Vernis worked in the kitchen at Rice Memorial Hospital and later at Christian Nursing Home, now Rice Care Center. She retired from Christian Nursing Home in 1986 and they moved to a hobby farm on Lake Florida. They lived on the farm for 18 years before selling it and moving into Willmar where she has lived since. Vernis loved being with family and friends and enjoyed doing crafts and listening to music.

She is survived by one son, Gerald (and Jean) Carlson of Willmar and one daughter, Diane Carlson of Willmar. Also surviving are five grandchildren, eleven great grandchildren, two brothers; Harlow Pearson of Willmar and Raymond Pearson of Atwater, one niece, Beth Pearson of Henderson, Nevada and one nephew, John Pearson of St. Paul, besides other relatives and friends. Vernis was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Severin Carlson in 2007.