Vertie Mae (Thomas) Carlson, 94, of Ottawa, died on Sunday evening, June 28, 2015 at OSF Saint Elizabeth Medical Center, in Ottawa.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, July 2, 2015 in Trinity Lutheran Church, with Rev. David Ufkes, and Rev. Garry Briesacher, Pastor, officiating. Burial will follow at Oakwood Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, in the Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa, and one hour prior to the service at the church.
Vertie was born on December 2, 1920, in Garden Prairie, IL to John and Grace (Entwhistle) Thomas. She earned the degree of Registered Nurse at St. Anthony’s in Rockford and then worked as a registered nurse for 50 years. She married Raymond Burdette Carlson on November 22, 1947 in the Trinity Lutheran Church in Harvard. Vertie loved to travel, visit friends and relatives, knit dance, cook, and quilt. She was a terrific baker, and was a friend to everyone she met.
Vertie was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church, a past president of the Lincoln School PTA, a life member of PTA, and a life member of the Moose. She was a nurse for 70 years and volunteered for OSF Ottawa Hospice for nearly 30 years and was the Director of Nursing at Pleasant View for 5 years. Vertie was also a member of the Auxiliary of the American Legion, University of Illinois Home Extension, and Rebecca’s I.O.O.F. She was a member of a women’s circle at the church. Vertie and her husband, Ray used to travel the state making and selling apple butter at the different fairs. They were even invited to the State Fair by the governor in 1988.
She is survived by her husband, Raymond Burdette Carlson of Ottawa; 5 children, Lynn Carlson of Scottsdale, AZ, Paul (Sandy) Carlson of Ottawa, Gene (Jayne) Carlson of Marseilles, John M. (Gail) Carlson of Ottawa, and Nancy (Dennis) Murry of Ottawa; 10 grandchildren, Chanda (Ron) Marti of Ottawa, Tony (Lisa) Carlson, of Ottawa, Arik Carlson, of Champaign, Andrew Carlson, of Palm Beach Gardens, FL, Michelle (Eric) Peterson, of Brookings, SD Krista (Steve) Blatt of Chicago, Mike Carlson, of Ottawa, Christy (Al) Gray, of Austin, TX, Chad Murry of Chicago, and Stacey (Alex) Burke of Evanston; and 13 great-grandchildren, Dakota Marti, Kenny, Tyler, and Bryce Carlson, Noah Smith, Libby Blatt, Mikayla, Trevor and Thomas Carlson, Anna and James Burke, and Brynn and Alexander Gray.
She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother Walter Thomas.
Pallbearers will be her grandchildren
Memorials can be directed to OSF St. Elizabeth’s Hospice or Trinity Lutheran Church.
Vertie is laid to rest in the Garden of Inspiration.
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