Dr. George Robert Carlsen

CARLSEN, MASON, CHRISTOFFER, FRANK, ROWLEY, MEIDLINGER

Posted By: Tara (email)
Date: 7/8/2009 at 11:59:57

George Robert Carlsen, 86, of 817 North Gilbert Street in Iowa City, died suddenly in his sleep on Saturday, December 13, 2003 at Crestview Nursing & Rehab Center in West Branch.

Bob was born April 15, 1917 in Bozeman, Montana, the son of Charles E. & Carolyn M. (Mason) Carlson. He married Ruth Christoffer on April 5, 1941 in Minneapolis. He received his B.A. M.A. and PhD., all from the University of Minnesota. Bob began his career at the University of Colorado, serving there for five years; the University of Texas (Austin) for six years and at the University of Iowa for twenty five years, retiring in 1982 as Professor of
English & Education. He & his wife have been residents of Iowa City since 1958.

Bob was a member of Unitarian Universalist Society of Iowa City.

He was active and published numerous articles for the National Council of Teachers of English, of which he served as president from 1961-1962; he received Distinguished Service Awards from both the National Council of Teachers of English and the University of Iowa. He received a Distinguished Service Award from the Assembly for Literature for Adolescents – a major contributor to the field of adolescent literature. He published a number of books, including Books and The Teenage Reader, which went into three editions. In addition, he was the general editor of the Themes and Writers Series for the McGraw Hill Publishing Company.

Survivors include his wife Ruth; two sons, Christopher Carlsen & his wife Ioanna of Santa Fe, New Mexico and Peter Carlsen & his wife Sylvia Frank of St. Paul, Minnesota; two daughters, Kristin Rowley of Sante Fe and Jane Meidlinger & her husband Dr. John Meidlinger of Grand Island, Nebraska; eight grandchildren, Tasio, Clea, Wim, Kristoffer, Robin, Michaela, Peter & Talia; three great-grandchildren, Michael, Finn & Kate; two sisters in law, Katy Carlsen & Mary Carlsen, both of Minneapolis.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Charles Jr. & Theodore.

Bob was a partner to his wife, generous beyond reason to his children and their children, a great teacher of teachers, a craftsman; a maker of things. He was a force in life and will be missed by many.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Unitarian Universalist Society of Iowa City.