Arlene Carlson

Arlene Marie (Langer) Carlson passed away peacefully at age 89 on Sept. 30, 2026, at The Legacy of St. Michael in St. Michael, where she had lived since 2019.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, Oct. 9, at St. John Vianney Catholic Church (901 S. Prairie Ave., Fairmont) at 2:30 p.m. with visitation at the church beginning at 1:30 p.m. Interment will be at Ridgelawn Memorial Cemetery, Truman.
Arlene was born on July 8, 1937, to Clifford and Beatrice (Haberman) Langer in Worthington, the eldest of three daughters. The family lived on a farm outside of Kinbrae where Arlene enjoyed playing house in an empty corn crib with her two younger sisters, but did not appreciate having to collect eggs from the hen house. She attended school in Kinbrae in her early years and was bright enough to skip sixth grade. Arlene graduated at age 16 from Fulda High School as co-valedictorian of the Class of 1954. She married her high school sweetheart, Mel Carlson, on Jan. 31, 1955, at St. Gabriel’s Catholic Church in Fulda. The couple moved to Mankato where they were blessed with five children.
In 1966, Arlene and Mel moved to Truman. Together they purchased the Chevrolet dealership, built it into a successful business and found Truman to be a great place to raise their family. Arlene was not only a helpful partner in the business, but also a loving mother and excellent homemaker.
Arlene always loved to sew and she made countless beautiful dresses, colorful quilts, cozy pajamas, artistic jackets, embroidered Christmas tree skirts and many other memorable works of fabric art. She was also a talented cook and loved trying new recipes. She was a prolific baker of cookies, bars, cakes and other treats, and was known especially for her ice cream dessert and  decadent brownies.
Arlene’s creative abilities were endless and awe-inspiring. She was the featured “Quilter of the Year” in 2016 as an honored member of the Prairie Star Quilt Guild. She sewed a quilt as a raffle item for many years for St. Katherine’s Garden Walk Salad Luncheon and she made more than one quilt for each of their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Arlene and Mel were grand marshals of the Truman Days Parade in 2014, recognized for their extensive contributions to their beloved community. Arlene was also very active in her volunteer work at St. Katherine’s Catholic Church, Lutheran Retirement Home, Campfire Girls, Scouts and her children’s school. When her children were older, Arlene provided daycare for teachers’ children in her home for five years. 
She had boundless energy and walked two or more miles each day. Her idea of relaxation was creating art with her sewing machines, pursuing her lifelong love of reading or listening to WCCO radio and Twins baseball games. 
Arlene never dreamed that she would one day travel the world, but through Mel’s business, they traveled to Europe, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Bahamas, Mexico and all over the USA. She was always ready to pack a suitcase when it came to traveling to help out her children and grandchildren. 
Arlene also welcomed hosting her family at holidays and reunions and planning activities for her grandchildren when they came to stay during the summer. She loved her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren with all her heart and took pride in their many accomplishments.
Arlene was preceded in death by her loving husband, Mel; parents, Clifford and Beatrice Langer; sisters, Beverly Vaske and Karen Janssen; brothers-in-law, Charles Janssen, Wes Carlson and Norman Carlson; sisters-in-law, Ellen Carlson and Annie Carlson; niece, Lisa Janssen Abbas; and beloved grandfather, Louis Langer.
She is survived by five children, Kevin (Eva) Carlson of Bolivia, N.C., Sandy (Mike) Wohlfeil of Fargo, N.D., Sheri (Bill) Kalb of Edina, Dan (Kim) Carlson of Asbury, Iowa, and Julie Carlson of Emily; 14 grandchildren, Cara, Kevin, Claire, Kathleen, Robert, Elizabeth, Billy, Tim, Laura, Andy, Jenna, Sara, Ben and Ryan; 16 great-grandchildren; brother-in-law, James Vaske; and several nieces and nephews. 
In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to St. John Vianney Catholic School, 911 S. Prairie Ave., Fairmont, MN 56031 or the Seminarian Education Fund at the Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota, P.O. Box 30098, Winona, MN 55987, catholicfsmn.org/seminarian-education-fund.
Arrangements are being made through Zaharia Family Funeral Home in Truman, zahariafamilyfuneral.com.