Odessa Lorraine Carlson

IRONWOOD, Mich. - Odessa Lorraine Carlson, 91, of Summit Drive, Bessemer Township, died Friday, April 25, 2014 in Ironwood. For the past three years Odessa was a resident of the Gogebic Medical Care Facility in Wakefield.

She was born July 25, 1922, at home in Anvil, daughter of the late Francis H. and Louise R. (Consie) Carlson.

Odessa attended Anvil schools and graduated from the A.D. Johnston High School in Bessemer with the class of 1939. She attended Gogebic Community College and Northern Michigan University, and she received her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Home Economics from Michigan State University. Odessa taught home economics for two years at Rock River Township High School at Eben Junction, Michigan. She then taught at the Wakefield Township School in Wakefield for many years until retirement.

She was an active life member of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Ramsay and the former Trinity Lutheran Church in Bessemer. She was a member of the Altar Guild. Her mother started a Sunday School in Anvil, where Odessa became involved, and she also taught Vacation Bible School at Our Redeemer.

Odessa was active in 4-H and a member of the Anvil Hilltoppers. She was also active in the sewing department at the Gogebic County Fair. She enjoyed flowers, gardening, sewing and cooking. She especially enjoyed spending time at the family cottage on Lake Gogebic.

Odessa is survived by her nephew, Kenneth (Terry); her niece, Eileen (Steven); four grandnieces, Jennifer (Andrew), Kristen, Hannah (Geoffrey), and Katherine; two grandnephews, Nathanael (Eliana) and Alan; one great-grandniece, Emilia; and one great-grandnephew, Benjamin. Besides her parents, Odessa was preceded in death by a brother, Orlo H. Carlson in 1993 and her dearly beloved sister, Doris, in 2011.

A funeral service will be held Tuesday, April 29, 2014, at 10:30 a.m. at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Ramsay. Rev. Tim Steckling will officiate. Visitation will be held on Tuesday from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the service at the church. Spring burial will be in the Hillcrest Cemetery in Bessemer. Honorary pallbearers are Jennifer Carlson, Nathanael Carlson, Kristen Carlson, Hannah Carlson, Alan Srock, and Katherine Srock.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Our Redeemer Altar Guild.

Arrangements are by Range Funeral Service and Crematory, Frick-Zielinski Funeral Home in Bessemer.