John Philip Carlson

John Philip Carlson, 96, of Great Falls, passed away Monday, December 5, 2022, at Benefis Hospital.

John was born January 28, 1926, at St. Joseph Hospital in Lewistown to Alfred and Hallie Carlson, who ranched eleven miles north of Stanford. Raised on the ranch, he attended grade school at Arrow Creek. During the Great Depression, the Carlsons lost their ranch and moved to Dundas, Minnesota. There, John completed grade school before attending high school in Northfield, Minnesota. He was active in Boy Scouts achieving Eagle Scout. World War II was underway so John and several classmates quit school their senior year and entered the Service.

John joined the Navy, attended boot camp at Farrigut, Idaho, and then completed radio training at the University of Idaho with a promotion to Seaman 1 ^st Class. Seaman Carlson shipped out of San Francisco to the South Pacific on a troop ship followed by service on the USS Zeus and USS Culebra Island. John was awarded the Asiatic Pacific Ribbon, Philippine Ribbon, World War II Victory Medal, and Good Conduct Medal.

Discharged at the end of the war, he returned to complete high school, and attend one year at St. Olaf College. In January 1948, John joined the U.S. Air Force and served four years including during the Korean War. It was in the Air Force that he first became an air traffic controller, completing operator schools and serving at Nellis Air Force Base, Las Vegas.

Discharged in 1952, he began a career in Air Traffic Control at Chicago Midway Airport, the busiest airport in the world. Five years later, he moved to Minneapolis, where he was selected to attend the Federal Aviation Administration Academy in Oklahoma City. Upon completion, he returned to Minneapolis where he served until his retirement after 28 years, earning letters of appreciation and commendation.

Moving to Great Falls, John sold cars for Bison Ford, Dick Grieb Buick, and Haggarty Chrysler. On October 15, 1979, John married Darlene Helen Robison Wright. In 1981, John was selected to conduct advanced Radar training for Jordanian and Saudi students for Bendix Field Engineering at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. After four years in Saudi Arabia with Darlene, he retired and returned to Great Falls, where he enjoyed golf, his beloved Minnesota Vikings, coffee with his many friends, and holidays with family.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Darlene; son, Steven (Patricia) Wright; and lovely granddaughter, Lauren; sister, Gay Schultz; a special nephew, Dr. Tom Monahan of Stillwater, Minnesota; nieces and nephews, Kim Maiers, Lynea Schultz-Eli, and Eric, Steven, and Brad Schultz; and brother-in-law, Ken Robison and family.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Shriners Hospital for Children, 911 W. 5 ^th Ave., Spokane, WA 99204 or a local charity of choice.