Grace J. Carlson

Grace J. Carlson (nee Thomsen), 91, entered into Eternal Life on Wednesday, January 26th, 2022. She was the beloved wife of the late Carl G. Carlson, who passed away 24 years ago, and the cherished mother of Nancy I. Newman, Susan J. Martens (Paul) and Richard L. Carlson. She also leaves behind a sister, Joan A. Bates, and 7 grandchildren: Adam Scholl, Erin Scholl, Steven (Kristie) Scholl, Patrick Scholl, Brianne Carlson, Michael Carlson and Francesca Bottini. She was the Great Grandmother to: Paige Mazar, Jaden Mazar, Makenzie Scholl, Jeremy Scholl, Dominick Neal, Jaxon Scholl and Luka DePompe. She had dozens of nieces, nephews, cousins and relatives who knew and loved her dearly. Her former son-in-law, Gerald S. Scholl, still considered her a second mother.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Irving A. and Mildred M. (Applegate) Thomsen, her sister Dorothy M. Thomsen and brother, Arthur R. Thomsen.

Her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren all adored her. It would have been difficult to find anyone who disliked Grace Carlson.

Born in Westwood, NJ in a four-generation family home, Grace lived in her hometown for the majority of her life. Raised on Center Avenue in Westwood with three siblings, "Dolly," the oldest, and younger siblings, "Joanie and Butchie," she later became a commuter, by train, to New York City where she worked at Chemical Bank as a secretary in lower Manhattan, on the site of what was later the World Trade Center.

She married Carl G. Carlson, of Brooklyn, NY, on November 5th, 1955, after meeting him through a series of letters. Carl had been hospitalized with tuberculosis in a V.A. Hospital, and friends put his name in the paper to receive mail. The rest is history.

Carl and Grace settled in Westwood, and Grace stayed home with their three children, "Nancy, Susie and Richie," doing what she seemed born to do - be a "Mommy." Carl worked hard as a machinist at Bendix in Teterboro, NJ, and his stable income supported the family. The children always had food on the table, a Mom in the home, and friends on the block.

Grace attended The Reformed Church of Westwood, a Protestant Christian denomination, and raised the children there. At church, they were surrounded by their Nana and extended family. Grace continued to attend that very same church until the day she died, now known as "Parkside Community Church."

A widow of 24 years, in her old age she sold her home and moved in with her daughter, Nancy, where she resided in Northvale, NJ until her passing. Daughter Susan and son, Richard, raised families in the Poconos in Pennsylvania.

Grace will be remembered by her friends and family as a loving, caring, kind person, who was dependable and generous. Her family meant everything to her, and she to them. She will be sorely missed until future reunions in Heaven.

Visitation for Grace will be from 2-6 pm on 2/6 at Becker's Funeral Home, 219 Kinderkamack Road, Westwood, NJ, with a funeral celebrating Grace's life at 1:00 pm on 2/7 at the same location. Internment will follow at Westwood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The American Lung Association.