Dolly Ruth Carlson

Dolly Ruth Carlson Dolly Ruth Carlson, 91, of Rockford, went to be with the Lord on May 13, 2009 at River Bluff Nursing Home. Dolly was born December 7, 1917 in Bessemer, Michigan the daughter of Ferdinand and Ebba (Peterson) Johnson. Dolly married Edward Carlson on February 13, 1937 in Rockford, IL. Dolly was a homemaker and graduated from Bessemer High School in Michigan in 1936. She was a member of North Park Covenant Church, loved planting and working with her flowers, feeding the birds and squirrels, cooking and baking, collecting recipes, making potato sausage every Christmas, dancing, music, singing country music and had performed on a radio station in Michigan with her brother Art when they were younger. Dolly had a kind heart and was very generous with it. Dolly is survived by her children, Gloria (Tom) McMahon, Linda (Bill) Brantley, Arthur "Artie" (Janey) Carlson, Carole Moore and Shawn Carlson; grandchildren, Jim (Jan) McMahon, Lynnette (Al) Ketchum, Michael McMahon (Julie Spencer), Paul (Lisa) McMahon, Judy (Steve) Stull, Bill (Becky) Brantley, Lori (Rick) Reavis, Susan (Reese) Waugh, Scott (Tishka) Brantley, Tani Brantley, Cari (Randy) Lenz, Todd Carlson, Arden Veitch, Michelle Johnson (Gary Trese), Darren Veitch, Tamara (Rob) Odell and Kimberly (Jason) Stanford; 27 great-grandchildren, 2 great-great-grandchildren and her brother, Russell Williams and many nieces and nephews. Dolly was predeceased by her parents, her husband Edward (March 31, 1991 her son Arden Carlson (Infancy brothers, Art and Raymond Johnson; sisters, Gladys Hixon, Florence Shea, Pearl Helm and Harriet Erickson, son-in-law, Gerald Moore and two grandchildren, Christine McMahon and Jason Carlson. A special thank you to the staff at River Bluff Nursing Home and Northern Illinois Hospice for the compassion and care given to Dolly. Funeral services for Dolly will be held on Monday, May 18, 2009 at 11 A.M. at Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory, Riverside Chapel, 3910 N. Rockton Ave., Rockford with Rev. Dean Parker officiating. Burial will be in Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery. Visitation will be on Monday from 9:30 A.M. until time of service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude Children"s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. Family and friends may