Roland L. E. Carlson

Roland L. E. Carlson



Roland Carlson age 96, died September 9, 2021, at Grand Island Regional Medical Center, in Grand Island, NE.



Memorial services will be at 11:30 a.m. Saturday October 2, 2021, at Apfel Funeral Home, with Pastor Beverly Hieb officiating. There will be no visitation.

He was born April 22, 1925 in a sod house in rural Custer County, Nebraska, to Herman & Alice (McCormick) Carlson. One of 9 children, he grew up on farms in rural Custer County in Nebraska. He graduated from Anselmo High School in 1941 at the age of 16. He farmed with his parents until 1948 when he went to Peoria, Illinois to work for W.G. Best Factory Built Homes. He moved back to Broken Bow, NE and worked for a General Contractor building in the Custer County area. In 1949 he attended Boyles College in Omaha to become a Telegrapher. After graduation he went to work for the Burlington Railroad at Torrington, WY, Scottsbluff & Bridgeport, NE as a Telegraph operator. On September 27, 1949 he married Leola Tyson at Scottsbluff, NE. In 1950 they made their home in Grand Island, NE and raised their family. During that time Roland worked for Lacy Construction in Grand Island & joined the Carpenter’s Union. He worked for Silas Mason and helped renovate the Ordinance Plant. When that project was done, he worked 4 years for the W. T. Raleigh Co. He worked 1 year for the Jewel T Company until they closed down all their routes. In 1957 he began his career at the United States Postal Service in Grand Island, where he started as a postal clerk and retired after 28 years in 1985, as the Director of Customer Services.



After retirement, he spent the next 14 years working part time selling Advertising Specialties for Nationwide Advertising. In 1999 he was diagnosed with cancer and was a survivor for 22 years. He was a devoted husband, father and grandfather. Using his carpentry skills he was always helping his children with their home projects. He enjoyed attending the programs, sporting events, confirmations, graduations, & weddings of his grandkids. Roland enjoyed bowling, golfing, trapping, hunting, and fishing. Children & grandchildren alike spent many hours using a fishing rod. He enjoyed card games, reading, telling stories of his life on the farm and growing up in the country, and having coffee with the retirees from the Post Office.



He is survived by His daughters Elaine Steinbeck and her husband Kenneth of Grand Island; Janet Miller and her husband Lonnie of Scottsbluff, NE; Linda Fowler and her husband Leonard of Kearney, NE; Debra Carlson of Lincoln, NE; Mary Walker and her husband Clay of Prairie Village, Kansas; and Carol Haas and her husband Dan of Omaha, NE; son Scott of Grand Island, NE; grandchildren Paul Steinbeck and his wife Candice of St. Louis, MO; Laura Johnson and her husband Josh of Grand Island, NE; Diane Mikkelson and her husband Eric of Kansas City, MO; Shari Samuels and her husband Tom of Longview, WA; Zach Fowler and his wife Kristen of Lincoln, NE; Dustin Albers and his wife Marycke of Chicago, IL; Cole Walker of Dallas TX; Avery Walker of Prairie Village, KS; Tyler & Jay Haas of Omaha, NE; Steven Comeau and friend Emily Nelson of Portland, OR; and Ali Meister of Sutherland, NE; great grandchildren Chance & Tasha Mikkelson of Kansas City, MO; Ellis & Nia Steinbeck of St. Louis, MO; Cayden, Cohan, & Calum Johnson of Grand Island, NE; Tenlea, Piper, & Hazel Fowler of Lincoln, NE and Daniel Evans of CO and Olivia Shehein of Sutherland, NE.; one sister-in-law Ila Mae Scherer of Bellevue, NE; several nieces and nephews, and dear friend Mary Anne Kaspar.



He was preceded in death by his parents; wife Leola; infant son David; infant brother Herbert; sisters Elvena McClary and her husband Harold; Alta Isaacson and her husband John; Bertha Avis, Edna Carlson, June Rivera and her husband Jimmy; Arlene Gomes and her husband Charles; and Pearl Carlson.



Memorials can be made to the donor’s choice.