Ethel Carlson

Ethel M. Carlson, age 93, of Willmar and formerly of Atwater, died Sunday afternoon, April 19, at Bethesda Pleasant View Nursing Home in Willmar.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 25, at the United Methodist Church in Atwater. Interment will be in Union Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5-7 P.M. on Friday, April 24, at the Peterson Brothers Atwater Funeral Home and will continue for one hour prior to the service at the church.

Ethel Marie Carlson was born on February 27, 1922, in Atwater, Minnesota, the daughter of Alice C. (Solmonson) and Clarence C. Peterson. They moved to Clarkfield when Ethel was 3 and she received her early education there. They moved to Marshall where she attended high school for the first 2 1/2 years and finished 11th grade in Willmar. Ethel graduated from Atwater High School in 1940 and continued her education at Macalester College in St. Paul, graduating in 1944 with a double major in Speech and English. On July 24, 1944, Ethel was married to Kenneth W. Hoagland and they made their home in St. Paul. Ethel began teaching in St. Paul Park until 1947, when they moved to Long Beach, California for a short time when Kenneth's health declined. They returned to Minnesota and Ethel taught school in Clara City, St. Paul, Atwater and Willmar. She was teaching in Willmar at the time of Kenneth's death. On June 20, 1959, Ethel was married to Wesley W. Carlson at the United Methodist Church in Atwater. They and Ethel's son, Peter Hoagland made their home in Mounds View where Wes was teaching. Ethel taught school in Mounds View High School for a short time and in 1985, they returned to Atwater following Wes's retirement. In 2011, they entered Copperleaf Assisted Living Center.

Ethel's interest in children, music, theatre, drama and education dominated her life. She also supported her husband Wes's musical endeavors and often accompanied him on the piano. Ethel was very active in and enjoyed singing with the Mounds View faculty wives chorus. She was an active member of her church, singing in the choir and active with the church women's group.

She is survived by three children, Peter Hoagland of Willmar, David (and Sally) Carlson of Vadnais Heights and Kristin (and Dr. Billy) Hargis of Fayetteville, Arkansas and five grandchildren, besides other relatives and friends

She was preceded in death by her parents; both husbands, Kenneth W. Hoagland in 1957 and Wesley W. Carlson in 2012; and one brother, Chester Peterson.

Ethel's family gratefully acknowledges the compassionate care she received at Copperleaf Living Center and during her brief stay at Bethesda Pleasant View Nursing Home.

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