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Established 1948   Dr.
Arvid John "Jack" Carlson, respected historian, died December 4, 2014
in Dallas. Texas. He has fought the good fight and gone home to
Valhalla. He is survived by his wife, Mary N. Carlson; children, Victoria Carlson Kemp and husband, Peter; and John Austin Carlson and wife, Jean; step-children, Brett Baker and wife, Bonnet; Brenda Baker Wood and husband, Bryan; Craig Baker and Kristine Baker; grandchildren, Christopher Sean Kemp; Cameron Jane Kemp; Michael Austin Carlson; Sarah Elizabeth Carlson; Brett Wayn Baker, Jr.; Karalynn Baker and Nathaniel Baker. Jack was preceded in death by his first wife, Jane Tomlinson Carlson on February 19, 1983. Born September 12, 1928 in East Tawas, Michigan, he graduated high school in 1946 and attended the University of Michigan. As a member of the UM Band, he performed in both the 1948 and 1951 Rose Bowls. Playing his coronet and marching at 180 steps a minute, he loved the Maize and Blue and remained a Michigan fan for the rest of his life. He received his Ph.D from Princeton University in 1962 as a fellow of the Danforth Foundation. In 1962 he joined President John D. Moseley at Austin College to debut a new way of teaching history, using a holistic approach that encompassed all aspects of the humanities. He played a key role in designing the interdisciplinary courses in the Heritage of Western Culture sequence and then revising them over a 30-year period. He also served the college in numerous leadership roles, including dean of the humanities division for 2 decades and acting vice president of academic affairs for one year. He often taught January term courses in England. Jack was a favorite among students and influenced generations of scholars at Austin College. His impressive record of scholarship included numerous published articles and formal papers presented at professional meetings; and he was awarded several important fellowships and research grants. He was named an Outstanding Educator of America in 1971. The Board of Trustees of Austin College honored him with the Homer P. Rainey Award for outstanding service in 1982. When the Texas Committee for the Humanities was organized, he served as its first chair. Upon his retirement in 1994, Jack continued to travel and teach continuing education courses and remained active in Rotary International and the Presbyterian church. He was active in the Sherman community, serving as president of the Community Series and a member of Goals for Sherman. His love of music and talent for singing kept him active in 2 local choirs after retirement. In lieu of flowers, the family asks any memorial contributions be made to the A.J. Carlson Scholarship for International Studies, Box 66, Austin College, Sherman, Texas 75090. To date, the scholarship has been awarded to 15 students. Services were held Saturday, December 13, 2014 at Grand Avenue Presbyterian Church in Sherman. A light reception was served, followed by a memorial service in the afternoon. Interment followed at Cedarlawn Memorial Park in Sherman. Mary Nelson Carlson, beloved mother and grandmother, died January 15, 2019 in Chickasha, Oklahoma. She is survived by her children, Brett Baker and wife, Bonnet; Brenda Wood and husband, Bryan; Craig Baker; Kristine Baker; stepchildren, Victoria Kemp and husband, Peter; John Carlson and wife, Jean; grandchildren, Brett Wayne Baker, Jr.; Karalynn Baker; Nathaniel Baker; Mitchell Wood, Cody Wood, Christopher Kemp; Cameron Kemp; Michael Carlson; Sarah Carlson; and 5 great-grandchildren. Mary was preceded in death by her husband of 30 years, A.J. "Jack" Carlson. Born November 21, 1939 in Grapevine, Texas, she graduated from Grapevine High School in 1957 and then went on to attend the University of North Texas in Denton. After raising a family, she joined the Austin College community in 1981 as an administrative assistant to the Dean of Social Sciences, a position she held until her retirement in 2006. In lieu of flowers, the family asks any memorial contributions be made to the A.J. Carlson Scholarship for International Studies, Box 6G, Austin College, Sherman, Texas 75090. The committal service was held on Monday afternoon, January 21, 2019 at Cedarlawn Memorial Park in Sherman. The memorial service followed in the afternoon at Grand Avenue Presbyterian Church followed by a light reception. Arrangements were under the direction of Dannel Funeral Home in Sherman. - - - Dannel Funeral Home Cedarlawn Cemetery Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson County TXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |