Glen Carlson was born Aug. 15, 1923, to Veta and Lenus Carlson in Moscow, where Lenus was a student. Glen spent his first year in Troy with his grandmother while his mother continued to teach. The family lived in Kamiah until Glen was 5, and then in Lewiston, where he attended the city’s public schools, graduating in 1941. Subsequently, he attended what is now Lewis-Clark State College for one year. During summer vacations he worked at the McIntosh farms and in the winter he worked at Lee’s men’s store.
In 1942, Glen enrolled at the University of Idaho in pre-dentistry. While there he was affiliated with the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. In the fall of 1943 he was drafted into the armed forces and transferred to the Army Specialized Training Program at the Chicago College of Dental Surgery. After his discharge he continued his education to earn a doctor of dental surgery degree.
While in Chicago, he met a beautiful Southern girl, Babs Andrew, then attending Northwestern University. They were married Dec. 27, 1945.
Glen returned to Lewiston, the city of his choice, to practice dentistry. In 1952, Glen was called back into the Army and served two years in Germany. His practice spanned the years 1947 through 1990. Glen enjoyed many interests and enjoyed the many friends associated with those interests.
He is survived by a son, James (Jim) Carlson and his wife Nicole Guillemet, of Cambridge, Mass.; a daughter, Sarah (Sally) Carlson of Seattle; a granddaughter, Malika Weeden, of Seattle; and a grandson, Dylan Carlson, of Leon, Mexico. His wife, Babs, preceded him in death in 2005.
Glen was lovingly cared for by his daughter Sally during the last years of his life. He passed away peacefully during the night of Monday, March 30, 2009, attended by Jim, Sally, Nicole and Malika.
Vassar-Rawls Funeral Home of Lewiston is in charge of the funeral arrangements, and cremation has taken place. An open house will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday at Glen’s home, 4065 Duthie Drive in Lewiston. All of Glen’s many friends are invited to celebrate his life on this occasion.
Glen has asked that no flowers be sent. Instead, those wishing to are asked to make a donation to the Lewiston City Library, c/o Dawn Wittman, Director, 428 Thain Road. Checks intended for purchase of new books should be written to the order of Lewiston City Library. Those intended for the eventual new library building should be written to the order of the Lewiston City Library Fund.
Kamiah
As mentioned above, Dad lived with his parents in Kamiah until age 5. I visited the town several times over the years with Lenus and Veta. When I was there it had a very small main street with a general store and a bank. You could walk from one end of main street to the other in five minutes. One story I remember concerns Dad one very hot summer day. The kind of hot day when a cone of vanilla ice cream seems like just what you need. Dad had no money with him, so he went into the bank, and approached the lone teller.
What can I do for you, sonny?
I’d like to take out a loan to buy a vanilla ice cream cone.
The teller absented herself for a moment to speak with her manager. When she returned she asked, “How much are you asking for this loan.
25 cents.
The teller smiled.
I think we can do that.
The teller discreetly extracted a coin from her purse, laid it on the counter before with a small piece of paper that said “I, Glen Carlson, promise to pay back this loan in the amount of 25 cents to purchase vanilla ice cream.”
[i Dad signed, took the coin, and walked to the other end of Main Street to buy a vanilla ice cream cone.]