Celebrant Pam Meily Vetter


	Celebrating Life Everyone Has A Story...

Born in 1939, to Charles and Mildred Carlson, little Charles Ernest Carlson, Jr., was so tiny, you could hold him in the palm of your hand. He was born with an energetic spirit and a wealth of strength. He was soon known as Chuck. His mother always said, "If you can't be a tree, be a bush." It was Chuck who was determined to be a tree in life. His mother had a great influence on Chuck's life. She was dedicated to her son and as a result, he always believed in himself. In high school, he played football. He earned a Business degree at USC and USC football became one of his great passions in life. The official USC colors, cardinal and gold, were always his favorites. After time with the Army Reserves, Chuck went on to earn his MBA from UCLA. He taught himself how to play golf and always loved the game in his free time.

In 1967, he met Laurie, the love of his life. Chuck asked her father for permission to wed and the couple married March 2, 1968 on Treasure Island in a church wedding. She wore a beautiful white dress with a high neck and a veil, while he wore a black tuxedo. Laurie remembers that Chuck was an ideal companion in life with an amazing sense of humor. He was also kind, generous, and positive. His favorite music was big band and Frank Sinatra.

The couple expanded the family with Robbie in 1970 and Christine in 1973. Chuck was always so proud of his children. Growing up, Robbie and Christine remember adventures like camping, trips to the Grand Canyon, or driving vacations where they could spend quality time together. Chuck dedicated part of his life to Christine's ballet dreams, which she studied from the age of 5 to 17. He was so proud when Christine was offered a position with the Joffrey Ballet. Chuck was also proud of Robbie who earned his degree at Berkeley and went on to graduate from Harvard Law School. To Chuck, he had three passions in life: His family, USC, and golf. He also loved his work in Human Resources which allowed him to travel to places such as Saudi Arabia, Paris, England, Egypt, and around the United States. Chuck was the one man who lived life to its fullest, enjoying the smaller moments along the way.

In August 2004, his children held a wonderful weekend birthday celebration and retirement party in wine country. It is a trip with treasured memories. In retirement, he also took some wonderful trips with Laurie including a vacation to Hawaii and a cruise to Alaska. Chuck Carlson always admired people who worked hard. He wanted people to laugh instead of cry. Chuck will be remembered as a man who loved his family and looked on the positives in life. Chuck's purpose in life was to make the world a better place and he did exactly that. We are thankful for the gift of Chuck in our lives.

Memorial donations are welcome in Chuck's name to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. For more information, http://www.michaeljfox.org/.