Aubrey Axel Carlson

Feb. 21 1915 - Aug. 8, 2001

Aubrey was born in Phillips, Nebraska on February 21, 1915 to Lulu B. (Herbig) and Carl M. Carlson. He died peacefully at home on Wednesday, August 8, 2001 after a long illness with family at his side.

Services will be held at Helms Funeral Home on Saturday, August 11, 2001 with services taking place at 1:30 p.m. Friends may call at the funeral home on Friday, August 10 from 5-8 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Central Michigan or to the First Presbyterian Church.

Aubrey attended school in Doniphan, NE graduating in 1932. He earned his B.A. degree from Hastings Presbyterian College in 1936, his M.A. from University of Nebraska in 1942 and his Ed. Degree from the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley in 1952.

Aubrey and Hope Furse met at Hastings College and were married June 4, 1939 in Alma, Nebraska. Their lives were blessed with two children, Susan Kay and David Kim.

Aubrey spent his life in the public schools as a teacher, coach, administrator and a professor. He taught in Nebraska schools, in St. Edward, Hooper, and Stanton before being called to serve in WWII in 1943. Following basic training at Camp Fannin, Texas, he was chosen to be an instructor in the Infantry Replacement Training Center where he served until being discharged in 1945.

Aubrey continued his teaching in Nebraska in Fairbury and Alma before becoming Superintendent of schools in Holbrook, Nebraska. He resigned this position to spend a year in Colorado to complete work on a doctorate in education at the University of Northern Colorado at Greeley. He accepted a position at CMU and moved his family to Mt. Pleasant in 1952. He retired in 1976. While at CMU, Aubrey was instrumental in organizing the Big Brothers Program on campus with a focus at that time on children on the reservation.

He was a member of Phi Delta Kappa, NEA, MEA, MARSP and Mt. Pleasant Rotary. Aubrey was a faithful member of First Presbyterian Church. He served on the building committee for the church on Watson Road. He also served on the Christian Education Committee and as a Deacon and an Elder.

He will be sadly missed by his family, wife Hope; daughter, Susan and granddaughter Dori Hope Warner; son, Kim and wife Louise and grandchildren Alana and Aaron.

Aubrey was preceded in death by his parents, one sister and brother.

(Morning Sun - Friday-Saturday, August 10-11, 2001)