Verl Carlson, 88, of Johnstown, Colorado, died in his sleep on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024.
A Life Celebration for Verl will be held Friday, Dec. 6 at the Zion Lutheran Church, 815 E. 16th Street, in Loveland, Colorado.
Condolences may be shared at AdamsonCares.com.
Baptized at Concordia Lutheran Church in Concord, Verl's life was grounded in faith, family, and community. Verl grew up alongside his younger siste,r Joleen, on a rural farm. In Concord High School he found the love of his life, Carolyn, and married her in August of 1955 at St Paul Lutheran Church. Lovingly they devoted themselves to a life together for 68 years.
Shortly after, in the fall of 1955, Verl was drafted and inducted into the United States Navy, where he proudly served for 18 months at sea aboard the USS Breckinridge. After his service, Verl returned to his beloved Nebraska family farm.
Verl and Carolyn built a life centered around a Grade A dairy, feeding lots of baby calves, birth-to-market hog operations, tilling the soil for corn and soy beans - a life full of hard work and love. His passion for agriculture extended beyond his farm as he became active in the Northeast Nebraska Pork Producers and served as a 4-H leader in Dixon County.
Verl and Carolyn welcomed three wonderful children into their lives: Tammy, Jeff, and Dirk. As a father, he demonstrated hard work, dedication, ingenuity, exceptional craftsmanship and intense love for his family, and farm life. He taught his children life lessons through hands-on experiences. He instilled a love of the outdoors through several family trips to National Parks. He was blessed with three grandkids, Sam, Luke, and Seth. From early years of playtime to years of athletic events, Verl watched with pride as his grandsons grew into men.
Verl was also a devoted member of several ELCA churches, where he contributed his time as a church board member and committee participant.
After retiring from the demands of farm life, Verl and Carolyn embraced a new adventure - traveling in a fifth-wheel RV trailer. The open road became a canvas for the couple to paint memories, explore new places, and enjoy the freedom that retirement afforded them. They worked in RV parks across the country, from Estes Park, Colorado, to Tuckerton, New Jersey. Their travels spanned coast-to-coast and included cherished trips to Hawaii, Alaska, and Europe. A gifted photographer, Verl was rarely seen without a camera in hand, capturing the beauty of life-whether it was wildlife, landscapes, friends or family.
In 1996, they relocated to the Front Range of Colorado. Verl found joy in his hobby of collecting, restoring, and customizing farm toys, often participating in toy shows. As well, he enjoyed golfing with family and friends, finding great pleasure in life's simple joys.
In 2016, the family farm was honored with the Nebraska Pioneer Farm Family award, recognizing 100 years of family stewardship.
Among Verl's favorite places was the family cabin at Grand Lake, Colorado where he treasured time spent with loved ones, moose sightings, and family dinners under the aspens.
Verl was preceded in death by his parents, Delmar and Eunice, and his beloved wife, Carolyn.