Helen Marie Carlson

Helen Marie (Straabe) Carlson passed away on Saturday, July 18th, 2026, at Evansville Care Center. She was 94 years old. A Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 AM, on Monday, August 3rd, 2026, at Anderson Funeral Home with visitation one hour prior to the service. Burial will be held at 11:30 AM on Friday, August 7th, 2026, at North Prairie Lutheran Church Cemetery in Leeds, North Dakota.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made payable to Lakes Area Humane Society.

Helen Marie (Straabe) Carlson was born on September 7, 1931, in Leeds, North Dakota. She was welcomed into the world on the family farm by her parents, Hans T and Hilda (Bod) Straabe. Helen grew up with two brothers, and spent many days with her nieces Judy and JoAnn on the family farm.

Helen attended Leeds Public School and graduated from Leeds High School, demonstrating a commitment to education that would become a hallmark of her life. Following her graduation, she pursued higher education at Concordia University in Moorhead, Minnesota, where she earned a teaching degree in business. For seventeen years, Helen devoted herself to a professional career that spanned North Dakota and Minnesota. Her teaching career led her to Evansville, MN where she met Sherwin Carlson at church.

Helen married Sherwin Carlson on July 30, 1961, at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Evansville, Minnesota. Their union was built on companionship and shared interests. Helen particularly enjoyed accompanying Sherwin to auctions, where they explored their love for discovering treasures. She also found joy in collecting figurines. Sherwin and Helen both shared a love of animals, especially cats. They enjoyed rural life and planted many trees on their farm, as well as evergreens at North Prairie Lutheran Church which Helen’s parents helped build in 1916.

Helen Carlson passed away Saturday, July 18th, 2026, at Evansville Care Center at the age of 94. She is survived by several nieces and nephews who loved her dearly; as well as Sherwin’s sister and brother-in-law, Sylvia and Carl Goin. Helen was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Sherwin Carlson (June 7, 2026); and brothers, Thorvald Straabe and Victor Straabe.