Mary Louise Carlson

Greeting each day with anticipation and joy, Mary Louise Engen first opened her eyes on January 6, 1938, in San Francisco, CA. Welcoming her to her Norwegian heritage were parents Erling (Earl) C. Engen and Adeline C. Thorpe. Soon joined by sisters Jan and Kris, Mary Lou’s family moved throughout central California following WWII as Earl opened Union Oil stations in Modesto, Fresno, and Paterson. Quickly developing her love of reading and music, Mary Lou soon matured as an excellent student, singer and pianist. Family re-locations brought Mary Lou to the Northwest including Seattle (James Monroe School and Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church), Spokane (Lewis & Clark HS), and Yakima which became her hometown. With her Grandma Thorpe, Mary Lou was a caring and energetic baby-sitter, coupling those earnings with her summer jobs, toward a college education at Pacific Lutheran College (PLC) in Parkland, WA. Entering PLC in 1955, Mary Lou was a four-year member of the Choir of the West, sang with a special mixed Octet, The Eighth Notes, worked as a switchboard operator, enjoyed membership in the Senior Women’s Honor Society, Tassels, and graduated Cum Laude with a BAE emphasis in Business Practices and minor emphasis in primary age teaching. Her student teaching experience revealed her passion for teaching 1st & 2nd graders to read. Taking that passion, Mary Lou accepted her first teaching position as a combination 1st/2nd grade teacher in the Mt Diablo School District in Walnut Creek, CA.

Accepting his invitation with her usual excitement , Mary Lou married Paul E Carlson, July 2, 1960, in her hometown Central Lutheran Church. Embarking on a decade of thirteen household moves, beginning with Buckhorn fire lookout, she raised three sons, Stephen, Timothy, and Peter, managed the household with efficient aplomb and beauty, and supported Paul throughout his several Navy assignments. A two year stay in Monterey, CA, was a time of active substitute teaching, church participation in the choir and as Financial Secretary.

When the family moved to Maryland in 1972, Mary Lou enjoyed the opportunity to finally own a home and settle in somewhere with her family. Mary Lou cherished these growing up years with her boys as the family enjoyed school, church, music, sports, and Scouts activities, as well as exploring Washington DC and the surrounding sites with visiting family and friends. As the boys grew and flourished, Mary Lou took the opportunity to return, for a dozen or so years, to her passion of teaching 6- and 7-year olds to read.

On Paul’s retirement from the Navy, Mary Lou and Paul relocated to the Pacific Northwest in 1988, to be nearer family. There, with the boys now independent, Mary Lou found time to customize a dream home, sing in the choir, and cultivate new passions: a beautiful and extensive flower garden, researching her family genealogy and adding knitting to her handiwork skills. And, in 1990, she took a full-time office position at Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church, supporting a place she loved, and “working with adults” for the next ten years. Mary Lou still found time to travel with Paul and friends, often mapping her beloved road trips, to explore beautiful and historic places around the country.

The ensuing years also brought a new joy into her life: grandchildren Mackenzie, Meredith, Samantha, Avery and Mia. In addition to thrilling over their growth and development, Mary Lou took a keen interest in everything about her grandchildren: from what they were studying, to all the latest ways to use technology and social media to communicate. And Christmases were extra special as they included grandchildren collaborating with her on cookie-baking and decorating the home with greens and tomtes! Mary Lou’s retirement from PRLC in 2000 gave her even more time with her grandchildren, her garden, her road trips, and her beloved Seattle Mariners. One new destination was Sun City, AZ, where Mary Lou and Paul enjoyed many years of warm winter sunshine and Spring training with the Mariners.

Sadly, an “uninvited guest” arrived in 2007, with Mary Lou’s diagnosis with Parkinson’s disease. Still, despite the challenges, Mary Lou remained ever her inquisitive and upbeat self: reading voraciously (often together with Paul), challenging herself with puzzles and cross-stitching, loving each musical moment with her family, shopping for beautiful clothes, gardening on the deck in their Seattle home, continuing to travel to Sun City, and always wanting to hear the latest from her children and grandchildren.

We remember Mary Lou with love and deep affection, cherishing our memories of her, as she cherished each day with Paul, and friends and family. If you would like, we invite you to join us in making a gift in Mary Lou’s memory to the music programs at either Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church in Seattle, or American Lutheran Church in Sun City.

Mary Lou was preceded in death by her parents Erling and Adeline, and sister Kris; and is survived by her beloveds: husband Paul, sons Steve (Stacy), Tim (Luann), and Pete (Dianne); sister Jan; grandchildren Mackenzie, Meredith, Samantha, Avery, and Mia; and beautiful flowers everywhere.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.sunlandmemorial.com for the Carlson family.