Ethel L. Carlson

Ethel "Sis" Laurel Carlson, 91, of rural Clyde, KS, died Friday, February 27 at the Republic County Hospital in Belleville. A funeral service was held at 1:00 p.m., Tuesday, March 3, 2009, at Zion Lutheran Church, north of Clyde, KS. Rev. Melba Smith officiated. Evelyn Peterson played the organ while the congregation sang "How Great Thou Art", "Rock of Ages", and "Amazing Grace". Pallbearers were Stan Ericson, John Peterson, Justin Jackson, Harold Granere, Dale Peterson and Gary Benteman. Burial was in the church cemetery. Ethel was born June 20, 1917 on a farm near Hough, Texas County, OK, the oldest daughter of Floyd and Estella Kirkpatrick Lewis. "Sis" attended a country grade school, "Morning Star" near Hough, OK. At the age of 16, during the depression and Dust Bowl days, she was employed by a family in Texas. She graduated from Perryton, TX high school and in 1942 received a B.S. degree from Panhandle A&M, Goodwell, OK. She accumulated numerous graduate hours from Kansas State University in Manhattan. "Sis" taught school at Adams, Hennesy and Hardesty, OK, Attica, Bronson, Agenda, and Morrowville, KS. As a professional educator, "Sis" influenced the lives of many young people. She leaves her friends and family with many pleasant memories. On December 13, 1954 she married her soul mate, Raymond F. Carlson at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Topeka, KS. She is a member of Zion Lutheran Church. She was preceded in death by her parents; five brothers, Earl, Jesse, Charles, Sylvester, and James Lewis; and one sister, Betty Lou Rawson. Survivors include her husband, Raymond of the home; and two sisters, Anne Doebbeling and husband Kenneth of Ness City, KS, and Beulah Laird of Tulsa, OK. A memorial fund has established and will be designated at a later date. Contributions may be sent in care of Ward Funeral Home, Washington, KS. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Ethel L. Carlson, please visit our flower store.