Carrie R. Bartleson

FOREST CITY - Carrie R. Bartleson, 95, of Forest City, died Sunday (November 25, 2007) at the Good Samaritan Center in Forest City.

Funeral service will be at Thursday, Nov. 29, at 10:30 a.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Forest City with Pastor Barbara Spaulding officiating. Burial will be at Oakland Cemetery in Forest City.

Visitation will be from 5 until 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 28, at the funeral home and an hour prior to the service at the church. Petersen Lund Funeral Home, 505 N Clark St., Forest City, 641-585-2685, www.petersenlundfh.com.

Carrie Rebecca Bartleson, the daughter of Alfred and Ida (Halverson) Amundson, was born on July 22, 1912, near Kiester, Minn. The family moved to a farm near New Richland, Minn., where she graduated from high school in 1930. Following graduation she attended the Abbott School of nursing in Minneapolis and graduated in 1933. For three years Carrie assisted in night surgeries at Abbott Hospital and worked as a private duty nurse for the Pillsbury's until 1939, then she moved to Forest City and was asked to work at the Irish Hospital.

On June 18, 1941, Carrie was united in marriage to Conrad Bartleson at the Lutheran parsonage in New Richland, Minn. The couple lived their entire married lives in Forest City. They spent winters at South Padre, Texas, for 16 years.

She was the nurse at Waldorf College during 1955 and 1956, then went to work for Dr. Tom Irish until his death in 1965. After serving for half-a-year as public school nurse, she went to Grohaven (now Good Samaritan Center) as Director of Nurses until her retirement in 1977. After her retirement she worked part- time for Dr. Tom Mangan.

The couple loved to travel and went all over the United States, to Mexico, Canada, Norway and Sweden. Family was always very important, and for many years the couple hosted the Bartleson family reunion. Carrie's calling in life seemed to be always taking care of and helping people who needed her; whether it be children, grandchildren, extended family members or anyone else who asked. Carrie was known for her warm smile, and welcoming demeanor.

Survivors include her children and their spouses: Karen (Carroll) Gustafson of Forest City; Jim (Judy) Bartleson of Yukon, Okla., and Elaine (Joel) Kingland of Forest City. Also surviving are seven grandchildren: Kristen (Brian) Rafferty of Darien, Ill.; Eric Gustafson of Rochester, Minn.; Kyle (Cindy) Bartleson of Redondo Beach, Calif.; Kim (Scott) Walker of Selma, Texas; Wendy Kingland of West Des Moines; Laurie (Greg) Heidebrink of Charles City; Lindsay (Joe) Langfald of Forest City and 12 great-grandchildren: Jason, Luke, Matthew and Grace Rafferty; Brendan Edwards; Nickolas Courrier; Haley Bartleson; Blake Walker; Emma, Joey and Quinn Heidebrink and Karly Jo Langfald. Also, a brother-in-law, Ray Routh, sister-in-law, Florence Qwast and many nieces and nephews.

Carrie was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Conrad; brothers, Harold and Irving and a sister, Dorothy Routh.