Connie Carlson passed away peacefully early on February 16th, 2024, after her battle with lung cancer.

Constance Lea Dodson Carlson was born April 7, 1948 to Dorothea and Homer Dodson of Grinnell, IA. She spent her childhood with 5 other siblings and a large extended family. They visited most weekends, enjoying food at the big dining room table as her mom was a fabulous cook. She attended school in Grinnell being elected Student Council Vice President in 9th grade and very active in many extracurricular activities graduating in 1966. She also had many jobs babysitting, waiting tables at the Longhorn, and selling tickets at the local theater and Drive In.

She attended one year at UNI where she met and married Rodney Alan Carlson March 29, 1968, later proving after many, many years of marriage he was her right one. Bill and Tom were born 18 months apart, before and during Rod being drafted and sent to Viet Nam. Connie loved and worked for her family. They moved into her family home when her parents retired to Horseshoebend, AR and she has remained at 1516 7th Ave. her entire life. Over the years she has worked at the Poweshiek National Bank, General Telephone, Grinnell General Hospital, Fareway, Grinnell High School, CIRSI, Starnes TV, and the Grinnell Daycare Center. When Rod was laid off from Farmhand, Connie enlisted in the Army Reserve at the age of 34. She picked up her nicknames of "Grannie" and "Tough Old Bird" during Basic Training. Rod joined her and they served 6 years as medics, spending their weekends working at Broadlawns and traveling all over the United States working in military hospitals. They were discharged right before reservists were sent to Desert Storm. When her sons started college, she also spent two years studying at Marshalltown Community College maintaining a 4.0 grade point. At the age of 57, Connie stopped working outside the home as they had successfully paid off all their debt. She did all the work at home while Rod continued to carry mail for the US Postal Service. Her grandchildren Lauren and Grant were always enjoyed and cherished. Connie and Rod took family vacations with them for many years. When Rod retired, they remodeled their home doing all of the gutting and wood work themselves. Connie enjoyed reading, walking, and streaming favorite shows.

Even if on the surface her life seems pretty uneventful, she did not miss the pain, and sufferings of being human. She did her best in many difficult situations with her family and friends trying to be a better person and learning from the great mysteries of life.

Learn more at https://wkks.org/connie/ and when her Celebration of Life will

be held this spring.