Rosemary June (Poley) LONG CARLSON

CARLSON, POLEY, GERZEMA, LONG, SELLNER, TIEMEYER, MCDOWELL, VALLEY

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 9/11/2015 at 15:36:37

April 16, 1946 --- September 6, 2015

Services for Rosemary Carlson, 69, of Spirit Lake, will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9, at Grace United Methodist Church in Spencer. Rev. Kay Hooper will officiate the service. Visitation will be conducted beginning 5 p.m. today, with the family present from 5-7 p.m., at Warner Funeral Home in Spencer. Burial will be conducted at Riverside Cemetery in Spencer. Carlson passed away Sunday, Sept. 6, 2015, at her home in Spirit Lake. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Spencer Hospital Hospice or the Blue Water Garden Club in Spirit Lake.

Rosemary J. Carlson was born April 16, 1946, in Hampton to parents Grace (Gerzema) and Ewald Poley. Her childhood years were spent in north central Iowa, graduating from Ackley -- Geneva Community High School. Rose also graduated from Buena Vista University. She pursued careers as an administrative assistant at the Des Moines Register and Tribune and the University of South Dakota. Then Rose worked with insurance in Eagle Grove. Upon her marriage to Jerry Carlson and graduation from BVU, she moved to Spencer. She worked as an optician for an optometrist and ophthalmologist until she was forced to retire in 2005 due to complications from cancer treatment.

Rose was preceded in death by her parents, many aunts and uncles, and several cousins. Left to cherish her memory include her dearly beloved husband Jerry; daughter Jaci Long, of Clarion; son Justin (Sheila) Long, of Grand Rapids, Michigan; and step-son Bryce (Nikol) Carlson, of Iowa City; grandchildren Karlie Sellner, Will and Harper Long, and Drew and Molly Carlson; sisters Shirley (Gary) Tiemeyer, of Waukee, Betty Poley, of Hampton, and Patsy (Steve) McDowell, of Ackley; and brother Terry Poley (Vicki Valley), of New Albin; and brother-in-law Robert (Barb) Carlson, of Salem, North Carolina. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews, cousins, and very special friends Mitch Sellner and Nicole Jones of Spencer. Warner Funeral Home of Spencer is in charge of arrangements.

Spencer Daily Reporter - Spencer, Iowa
September 7, 2015