Astrid S. Carlson

Astrid S. Carlson, 85, of Mason City, died Tuesday, March 13, 2012, at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit. Funeral services will be held 11:00 A.M. on Friday (March 16, 2012) at the First Covenant Church, Hwy 122 at South Ohio, with Pastor Kathy Graves of Trinity Lutheran Church officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the church service. Interment will be in the Nora Springs Park Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to the First Covenant Church, Cornerstone Assisted Living (Activity Program), or Hospice of North Iowa. Astrid was born to Norwegian immigrants - Henry and Ingrid (Haaland) Aasheim on December 23, 1926, in Story City, IA. She graduated from McCallsburg High School in 1944 and Waldorf College in 1946. While at Waldorf, Astrid worked in sales for Lynn’s Dept. Store (Forest City) and for Dr. James Norris, (Forest City), as an Optometrist Assistant. For the past 67 years, Astrid has kept in touch with her Waldorf Classmates through “Round Robin” correspondence. On August 17, 1946, she married Roy A. Carlson at the Zion Lutheran Church in McCallsburg, IA. In 1951, the couple moved to Nora Springs. She was active in Christian Women’s Club and a member of the First Covenant Church - where she was active in church circle, and served on various church committees. She enjoyed spending time with her family – especially her grandchildren. She also enjoyed reading, quilting, sewing, cooking, flowers, and writing poetry (one publication in the National Library of Poetry). Astrid valued her Norwegian traditions and foods (Lefse & Krumkaka), and proudly shared them with her family. She also enjoyed saying the Norwegian prayer before meals. Astrid was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and great great grandmother. Astrid is survived by her children: Grace Lewis and husband Ken of Nashville, TN, Rachel Johnson and husband Dr. Mark Johnson of Mason City, Brian Carlson and wife Amy of Peculiar, MO, Faye Bixler and husband Paul of Irwin, PA; ten grandchildren: Jaimee and husband Billy, Erin and husband Rich, Carl and friend Megan, Phillip and wife Sasha, Drew and wife Caitlin, Jill and fiancé Jason, Anna, Rachel, Cody and Magdalene; 9 great grandchildren; 1 great great grandchild; 2 brothers: Les Aasheim and wife Sharon of Des Moines, IA and Harlan Aasheim and wife Carol of Mesa, AZ; and cousin: Shirley Frandsen of Story City; sisters-in-law: Elaine Larson of Carrollton, TX and Carol Stone and husband Hank of Hampshire, IL. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews and extended family members – including the Johnson family and Lois Jean Vermillion. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband in 2009; 1 sister: Helen Aasheim; 2 brothers: Raymond and Sherman Aasheim; and son-in-law: Bruce Gray.

Cemetery:
Interment will be in the Nora Springs Park Cemetery

Memorials may be directed to the First Covenant Church, Cornerstone Assisted Living (Activity Program), or Hospice of North Iowa

Visitation:
Visitation will be one hour prior to the church service

Service:
Funeral services will be held 11:00 A.M. on Friday (March 16, 2012) at the First Covenant Church