Pastor Arne Carlson

July 27, 1923 - May 30, 2017

Arne Richard Carlson, age 93, died peacefully in his home at Eventide in Moorhead on
May 30, 2017 with family at his bedside.
He was born July 27, 1923 in Fort Dauphin, Madagascar to American missionary parents
Olaf Christian Carlson and Ragna Hansine Lauvold Carlson, who emigrated originally from
Gaasvar, Norway and Tonsvik, Norway.

At the age of 13, his parents returned to Madagascar after furlough, leaving sons Oliver
and Arne to complete high school in the states. After one year in Billings, MT with his
uncle K.O. Carlson, he joined other missionary kids (MKs) at Augustana Academy in
Canton, SD, graduating in 1942.
He entered the US Army in 1943, shipping overseas in Jan 1945, serving with the 42nd
Infantry "Rainbow" Division in France and Germany as a radio operator for an armored
reconnaissance unit, and in Austria, as assistant to the division chaplain in the Army of
Occupation. He held a deep respect for the men and women of the U.S. military.

During his last months in Austria, he attended Rainbow University at Zell am See. After
discharge in May of 1946, Arne went year around to college, attending summer school at
Luther and Augustana, and graduating from St Olaf College in 1949 and Luther Seminary
in 1952. He married Nadine Stenshoel of Crookston, MN in 1950. They served small town
and rural parishes in Black River Falls, WI 1952-1956 (Little Norway Lutheran and Squaw
Creek Lutheran); LaMoure, ND 1956-1960 (Zoar Lutheran, St. Ansgar Lutheran and
Marion Lutheran); Park River, ND 1960-1967 (Our Saviour's Lutheran, Pleasant Valley
Lutheran and Golden Valley Lutheran); Fisher, MN 1967-1981 (Fisher Lutheran and
Bygland Lutheran) and in his last call as chaplain to Lutheran Memorial Nursing Homes In
Twin Valley and Halstad, MN (1981-1987). He was committed to the people of the small
towns and rural churches he served, visiting them often in their homes and riding along
with the farmers to check on their fields.
In 1958, he and Nadine purchased land at Kabekona Lake, where they worked and played
together as a family, in close fellowship with other Lutheran pastors, especially his brother
Roald and family. Arne coordinated the planting of thousands of trees around Kabekona
over several decades. Retirement years were spent travelling and wintering in Sun City,
AZ, and returning to Kabekona for the summer.
Eventually they moved to Fargo-Moorhead to be closer to family.
He was passionate about the authority of the Word of God, helping in his retirement years
with the Word Alone movement and praying for renewal in the Lutheran Church.
Pastor Carlson served his Lord until the end, praying daily for family members and those
around him to know and trust in Jesus Christ as he did.
He is survived by his wife Nadine, children Reed (Amy) Carlson, Terry (Joe) Melby, Miriam
Dakutak, and Kurt Carlson (Rhona Baron); grandchildren Sarah (Mike) Liljestrand, Sonja
Olson, Bethany (Jerome) Ryan, Jesse and Kirstin Dakutak and Polina Carlson; and
greatgrandchildren Chloe, Natasha, Brooke and Elliott Ryan and Zach Liljestrand; his
brother Oliver (Gene), and sister Laila Rogers.

He was preceded in death by his parents and siblings E. Roald, Audrey and Haakon
Carlson.
Memorials are preferred to the Kabekona Lake Foundation, Global Health Ministries and
Lutheran CORE.
Events
JUN Visitation 05:00PM - 07:00PM
2
Korsmo Funeral Chapel
409 8th St. S., Moorhead, MN, US, 56560

JUN Prayer Service 07:00PM

2
Korsmo Funeral Chapel
409 8th St. S., Moorhead, MN, US, 56560

JUN Memorial Service 02:00PM

3
First Lutheran Church
619 North Broadway, Fargo, ND, US, 58102
Comments

My prayers and sympathy are with the Carlson family. I knew Pastor Carlson when
he ministered in Park River. May he now gaze on the face of God whom he served.

Mary Margaret Mooney, PBVM - June 02 at 06:36 PM

A tribute video has been added.

Korsmo Funeral Service - June 01 at 04:52 PM

Miriam and Family,

I am so sorry about your father. Hope that the memories of him will sustain you
through the days, months, and years ahead.

Sincerely,
Valery Midgarden Gullickson
Park River classmate

Valery Gullickson - June 02 at 09:30 AM

Rose Remembrance was purchased for the family of Pastor Arne Carlson.

June 01 at 09:44 PM
 108 files added to the album LifeTributes

Korsmo Funeral Service - June 01 at 04:43 PM