Michael Alan Carlson, 70, of Essex, passed away June 19th at the Good Samaritan Society in Red Oak, Iowa. He was born September 14, 1954 in Shenandoah to Earl and Rosemary (Rice) Carlson. Mike graduated from Essex High School in 1972. In school, Mike was involved in band, football, and basketball. Outside of school, Mike was busy with 4-H, being a hired hand for Riley McClintock, and helping his father on the farm. Mike met the love of his life, Sandy (Pendleton) in kindergarten back in 1969. Excited to start their lives together, they married July 1, 1972, at the First Presbyterian Church in Essex. Over the next decade, the couple welcomed home three daughters: Shantel, Jodi, and Lindsay where Mike taught them a valuable work ethic, perseverance, and many hands-on skills.
Mike had a full-ride scholarship to play basketball in Nebraska, where he was going to study veterinary science. Since he didn’t like school, he instead moved out toward Bethesda to farm full-time. During his farming career, he lived in Essex, then Shenandoah, and returned to Essex to take over the farm after his parents retired. He raised cattle and hogs and grew corn and soybeans. He was a jack-of-all trades being an electrician, plumber, welder, mechanic, and veterinarian. He was a visionary when crafting ways to fix things or innovating his own farm tools and equipment. Mike enjoyed being a leader of the Shenandoah Teamsters (and Tri-M’s), on the Page County Fair Board, and a member of Young Farmers. He liked playing slow pitch softball in Shenandoah and Coin, hunting, crop checking, and playing cards, especially Cut Throat (4-point-pitch).
Due to his tall stature, broad build and sarcastic personality, Mike could be hard to get to know.
If you were one that Mike teased, then you were someone he liked. Inside the rough exterior was a soft-hearted, give the shirt off his back teddy bear. He had an unselfishness when it came to supporting his children, family, and those closest to his heart.
Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Earl and Rosemary Carlson. Those to carry on Mike’s memory are his wife, Sandy Carlson; children Shantel (Tom) Billington of Earlham, IA, Jodi Fort (Fiancé Shawn Johnson) of Essex, IA, Lindsay (Ryan) Fichter of Norfolk, NE; siblings Phil (Kendra) Carlson from Valparaiso, NE, and Steve (Phyllis) Carlson of Bethesda, IA; eight grandchildren, a great-granddaughter; and many other family members and friends.
Memorial services will be held at the Nishna Valley Funeral Home in Shenandoah, Iowa, on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. The family will greet relatives and friends with a visitation from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. on Friday, June 27, 2025, at the Nishna Valley Funeral Home. There will be a luncheon with the family following the service at the Shenandoah Eagles Club. Private family burial will take place at a later date. Memorials may be directed to NEXT for AUTISM.
