Obituary of Robert Hess Carlson

Robert Hess Carlson, 92, of Arden Hills MN. Passed away peacefully surrounded by family on July 13, 2015. Born, June 8, 1923 in St. Paul to Anna and Axel Carlson, Bob was the youngest of five sisters and one brother. In1942, he graduated from St. Paul Central where he served as class president. In his youth, Bob worked alongside his father who owned a small business delivering produce from Mankato to grocery stores in the cities. Bob attended the University of Minnesota before enlisting in the U.S. Army Air Corp in 1943. He was assigned to the 10th Air Force where he served as navigator/radio operator aboard C-47 cargo planes flying the hump over the Himalayas supplying allied forces. This certainly contributed to his appreciation of life and family. After the war, Bob married his sweetheart, Nancy Samuels, and began a sales career with Utica and later Straus Knitting Mills. In 1958, Bob joined his brother-in-law in the LP Gas business building Gas Supply Inc. and MV Gas Co. into one of the leading wholesale and retail propane gas and equipment distributors nationally. Subsequently, Bob was awarded Minnesota LP Gas Association’s highest award for personal service to the LP Gas Industry, the G.F. Bursinger award. He enjoyed working with his sons in business as he had done with his father. He and Nancy loved spending winters at their home on Sanibel Island. Bob’s passion was his family, friends, and his business. He enjoyed traveling, fishing and hunting trips, and expertly supervising everyone else’s construction projects. Bob was always there with advice no matter how small or large the problem. He was a true gentleman, skilled communicator, and an optimist who helped all of us see opportunity in adversity. He will always be the navigator in our lives. Bob served on the board of Roseville State Bank and was a member of Triune Summit Masonic Lodge #3, St. Paul Scottish Rite, Osman Shrine and St. Paul Court #9 Royal Order of Jesters. He is survived by Nancy Carlson, his loving wife of 66 years and children, Teri Shipps (Stephen), Ann Arbor; Robert Jr. (Gregg), Arden Hills; David (Lisa), Chanhassen; Bruce (Kathryn), North Oaks; grandchildren, Lindsay (Daniel) Haake, Indianapolis; Lorin Shipps, Ann Arbor; Grant Carlson (Sarah Lagerstedt), Minneapolis; Taylor (Andy) Sajous, Chicago; Blake Carlson, Chicago; Wade Carlson, Brent Carlson, Brady Carlson, Kelly Carlson and Zachary Hansen, North Oaks and great grandchildren, Louis Carlson and Caroline Haake. Visitation, Monday, July 20 at 11:00 AM Falcon Heights United Church of Christ, 1795 Holton Street, Falcon Heights, MN with funeral following at 1:00 PM. Internment 3:00 PM at Roselawn Cemetery. Memorials to Union Gospel Mission.