Captain Richard Lloyd Carlson

Captain Richard Lloyd Carlson, age 73, of Lake City and formerly of Tavernier, Florida, passed away Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at home and surrounded by love. Originally from Miami, he spent most of his life there and was an owner of Airtech Air Conditioning. He was a member of Pipefitters Union Local 725 and the Mechanical Contractors Association for many years. An avid fisherman, one of the things he was most proud of was obtaining his captain’s license. He also enjoyed barbequing and even entered a few competitions. He will be remembered as having an infectious, quick-witted, larger-than-life personality. He is survived by his wife of forty years: Lynne Carlson of Lake City; daughters: Theresa (Doctor Diogenes) Duarte of Lake City and Cariann (Jason) Shaw of Fernandina Beach; grandchildren: Jack, Eliana, and Natalia Duarte and Jason, Ruby, and Gavin Shaw; brother: Ronald (Gay Lynne) Carlson of Miami; and sister: Barbara (Michael) Merkel of Alabama. Mr. Carlson was preceded in death by his parents: Harold Theodore and Betty Joyce Britton Carlson. A Celebration of Life service will be held at a future date. Guerry Forbes Funeral Home of Lake City is honored to serve the Carlson family.