Gwendolyn Geraldine Carlson

Coral, passed away Thursday, September 11, 2014, at Holy Cross Hospital in Ft.

Lauderdale. She was born on February 6, 1920, in Warren, Pa. and was a 1938

graduate of Warren Area High School. She met her husband Bob when they were

children attending grade school and they were lifelong friends. She often told

the story of how they bought a marriage license, but her mother found it and

tore it up, so they got a new one and eloped. She married her best friend, C.

Robert "Bob" Carlson on Janruary 23, 1939 and they kept the marriage a secret

for a year, both living at home and working and saving money so that they could

be together, because she worked at New Process (currently known as Blair) and

married women were not allowed to work there at that time. They first lived in

Warren and then Gwen and her husband Bob bought a home in Erie, PA and that is

where they stayed around 1966 when they moved to their summer home in Findley

Lake, NY where they enjoyed a leisurely lifestyle of boating, swimming and

camping. When her husband was transfered they relocated to Clarion, Pa where

they lived for several years before retiring to the Ft. Myers / Cape Coral

area. Gwen then moved to Pompano Beach in 1992 after the loss of her husband.

She continued to spend her summers at Findley Lake for many years.

Gwen is survived by two sons, Charles R. Carlson Jr. and Dianne Bovender, and

J.R. and Mae Carlson, two daughters-in-law, Donna Carlson and Suzanne Carlson,

and 4 granddaughters, Jane and Steve Engle, Krista and Tom Schack, and Angela

and Paul Hubble, Deana Carlson-Woloszn and Frank Chiacchiero, a grandson,

Charles R. Carlson III, 12 great grandchildren: Stephanie Engle, Megan, Kari

Ann, Bethany and Amanda Schack, Britainy, Zachary and Stormi Hubble, Mitchell

Carlson, Matthew Woloszn and Roxanne Rock, Dylan Chiacchiero, Charles R.

Carlson IV, one great-great granddaughter: Chloe Woloszn and extended family:

Steven Woloszn and Leslie VanHaften.

She was preceded in death by her parents Axel and Florine Dasen Larson and her

beloved husband and best friend, C. Robert Carlson, two sons: Robert Edwin and

Jeffrey Axel Carlson, three brothers: Dr. John, Robert and George Larson.

Her passions in life were camping, swimming, golfing, bingo, word puzzles and

playing solitare. She will be sadly missed by family and friends.

She was entered into her final resting place with her husband in a private

ceremony at Lee Memorial Park in Ft. Myers on September 13, 2014 and a Private

celebration of life will be held on September 20th.