William N. Carlson

SALEM - William ‘Bill’ Norman Carlson, 83, died January 5, 2006, in West Salem.Bill was born in Chicago, Illinois and graduated from James H. Brown High School of Chicago in 1940.He served in the U.S. Army during World War II, serving in New Britain, New Guinea, The Philippines and Japan. Bill started out as a Technical Specialist Level 5 in the repair of machine guns, rifles and carbines. However, he was soon recruited by the Adjutant General of the I-Corp Headquarters when it was found that he could skillfully write high-quality correspondence. At that point he became the assistant to the I-Corp general. After nearly three years in the Army, he was honorably discharged in December of 1945.In the two years following his discharge, Bill completed Business Administration and Higher Accounting courses at Mac Cormac School of Commerce in Chicago, Illinois. During this same period of time, he married Betty Jane Packard.Within the next few years Bill and Betty moved to Southern California, along with several other family members. Their daughter, Janet, was born in 1954. During these years, Bill worked as a salesman for E.W. Reynolds, carrying a diamond jewelry line through three states, then taking on a similar sales role for Johnson’s Wax Company, carrying their renowned floor product line throughout another three-state area. His love of people and dedication to excellent customer service served him well in his salesmanship role. During these years Bill also started up and ran a printing business out of his home.In 1966 he moved his family to Salem, Oregon. Real estate became his next business/ salesmanship project. After seven years as a real estate broker, Bill moved on to take the role of caseworker in the Adult and Family Services Department for the State of Oregon. He first worked in Florence, then became the temporary Branch Manager for the AFS office in McMinnville. When that role came to an end, Bill was made the Business Services Supervisor in that same McMinnville branch and he remained in that capacity until his retirement in 1984.He was anything but idle during his 21 years of retirement. Bill enjoyed creating inventive mechanical devices, repairing automobiles, furniture and appliances, playing the piano, corresponding with his many friends and acquaintances, practicing calligraphy, reading everything he could get his hands on, and shopping for bargains. He was truly a jack of all trades. Bill also did the majority of his own housework, cooking and yard work up until the last year before his passing.Bill is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Janet (Carlson) Brice and Mount Brice of Salem; his two grandsons, Scott Mount Brice and Gregory William Brice, both of Salem; his sister-in-law, Sally Carlson of Sacramento, Calif.; his nephew and wife, Keith (Carlson) Sharward and Jennifer Sharward, also of Sacramento, Calif.; and other relatives too numerous to list. His wife, Betty, preceded him in death in 1993.At Bill’s request, no service will be held. Private interment will be at City View Cemetery, Salem. Arrangements are by Howell-Edwards-Doerksen with Rigdon-Ransom Funeral Directors, Salem.