Orion Carlson

Orion Carlson, age 89, of Mankato, died on Wednesday, August 11, 2021 at Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato.

Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, August 17, 2021 at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Mankato. Visitation will be held for one hour prior to the service. Interment will be Kasota Hill Cemetery in Kasota. The service will be livestreamed and available on Orion’s obituary page at www.mankatomortuary.com.

Orion Leroy, the son of Elmer and Luella (Quaal) Carlson, was born on March 19, 1932 in Appleton, MN. He graduated from Appleton High School. Orion graduated from the University of Minnesota with his Bachelors in Agriculture. On May 17, 1958 he married Chloris Gunderson at the Kasota Presbyterian Church. Orion was a manager at JCPenny, an insurance salesman for Country Companies and was most recently an active employee at Walmart. He was a member of the Mankato Kiwanis and a loyal choir member at Christ the King Lutheran Church and the Minnesota Valley Chorale. Orion was a violinist for the Illinois Valley Symphony for 40 years and the Mankato MSU Symphony. He also played violin at nursing homes and in many recitals with his daughter, Mary. Orion was full of energy and enjoyed golfing, downhill skiing, gardening and landscaping.

He is survived by his daughters, Debra (Joel) Stombres of St. Charles, IL and Mary (Russ) Carlson-Zuehlke of Mankato; grandchildren, Adam, Jonathan and Abigail Stombres; siblings, Leatrice Benson and David (Nancy) Carlson; brother in law, Bill Knutson; and sister in law, Anita Carlson.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Chloris Carlson; siblings, Marjorie Knutson and Elmer Carlson; and brother in law, Tom Benson.