Carlson, Leon C.

Leon C. Carlson, 89, of Cedar Rapids, formerly of New Hampton, died Tuesday, May 11, 2010, at Higley Mansion Care Center in Cedar Rapids. Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday, May 17, at Conway-Kolbet Funeral Home Chapel in New Hampton, with the Rev. Kevin Frey officiating. Burial will take place at New Hampton Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday and one hour before services Monday at the funeral home.

Online condolences for Leon's family may be left at

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Chickasaw Senior Center or Trinity Lutheran Church Building Fund.

Leon Charles Carlson was born Aug. 15, 1920, near Fredericksburg, Iowa to Albert and Martha (Meier) Carlson. He was baptized and confirmed at St. John's Lutheran Church in Boyd. He attended a one room country school then graduated from New Hampton High School in 1939. Leon served in the Army 3079 Ordinance Company in Europe during World War II. On Feb. 23, 1947, he was united in marriage to Florence Schroeder. Florence died July 3, 2004. Together they had one daughter, Mary Ellen. Leon was a dairy and crop farmer for many years. He raised registered Ayrshire cattle. Leon and Florence retired and moved to New Hampton in 1989. In 2005, Leon moved to Cedar Rapids.

Leon was a member of the American Legion, VFW, Farm Bureau and the National Ayrshire Association. He was a loving and caring husband, father, grandfather and uncle. Leon loved to play the organ and dance to Big Band music with Florence.

Leon is survived by his daughter, Mary Ellen (Jesse) Wright of Cedar Rapids; three grandchildren, David (Jeanette) Wright of Seattle, Wash., and Adam Wright and Jessica (Derek) McDonough, both of Cedar Rapids; two sisters-in-law, Irene (Wilbert) Huebner of Readlyn and Marcille Kent of Hawkeye; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Florence; his parents; and one brother-in-law, Kenneth Kent.