Barbara "Barb" Jean Carlson

Barb Jean (Johnson) Carlson of Rush City passed away Tuesday, January 28, 2025 at the University of Minnesota M Health Fairview Medical Center in Minneapolis at the age of 69.

She was born August 21, 1955 to Arlowe and Dorothy J. (Nelson) Johnson in Braham, Minnesota.

She grew up in Braham, graduating from Braham High School in 1973. After high school she attended Gustavus Adolphus College and the University of Minnesota Duluth. She met Bruce A. Carlson in 1974 and they were married in 1975. They purchased Bruce’s family’s century farm, outside of Rush City. She and Bruce continued to live and farm there until her passing.

In her early years, Barb loved to fish on the Snake River, listen to music and play sports with her Bomberette friends.

As an adult, Barb’s first love was the family’s farm life-- taking care of the kids, the calves, the milk cows and the many farm pets. She did pursue off the farm work as well. Her patience and kindness led her to her first career as a caregiver for people with disabilities. Following that, she had a career as an accountant for many local businesses and as a volunteer with Tusen Tack in Braham.

She will be remembered as a very kind, witty, loving wife, mother, daughter, sister, coworker and friend. She was a great farmer’s wife. She enjoyed cooking, she was an amazing caretaker for her many houseplants, she loved great music but most of all she loved her family. 

She shared her love of cooking through volunteering with Kathy's Kitchen (at the Braham Event Center) for many years, with several of her recipes still being used today. 

Barb was a woman of strong faith and an active member of the Pine City congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. As someone who loved nature and people, she fell in love with the Bible’s hope of a resurrection of the dead to perfect health and everlasting life on a paradise earth (John 5:28, 29; Psalm 37:29).

Barb is survived by her husband, Bruce A. Carlson; children, Daniel B. Carlson, Kimberly J. Carlson, and Ryan M. Carlson; sister Patricia (Terry) Lind; their sons Douglas (Katie) and James; brothers and sisters-in-law John (Linda) Carlson, their sons David (Melody) and Scott (Theresa); Mark (Peggy) Carlson; their daughters Sara (Brian) and Nikki; many nieces and nephews, many other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents Arlowe and Dorothy J. Johnson; sister and brother-in-law Kathryn A. (Johnson) and Merlin Hirschorn; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Amos and Orpha Carlson; and close uncles Bruce and Norman Nelson.

Funeral services for Barb: 11 AM; Saturday, February 15, 2025 with a time for family and friends to gather one hour prior to the service all at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, Pine City. A luncheon and remembrance will be held afterward at 12:30PM at the Braham Event Center, 655 8th Street SW, Braham, MN 55006.

Funeral arrangements are entrusted to the: Funeral and Cremation Service of Rush City, Olson Chapel
www.FuneralAndCremationService.com