Charles (Chuck) Eric Carlson, 79, of Cherokee, Iowa passed away peacefully Wednesday evening, August 16, 2017 at his home surrounded by his family.

Memorial services will be on Saturday, August 26th, at 11 a.m. at Memorial Presbyterian Church in Cherokee, Iowa. Rev. Eric Wright will officiate. Burial will be at Oak Hill Cemetery. There will be a family prayer service at 10:4 5 a.m. at the church on Saturday. Visitation will be on Friday, August 25th from 2 p.m. until 7 p.m. with the family present from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee, Iowa. Online condolences can be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com

Chuck was born on July 7, 1938 in Cherokee, Iowa to Eric and Esther (Paulson) Carlson. He resided in Aurelia, Iowa and graduated from Aurelia High School in 1956. He attended Buena Vista College and served in the National Guard. He was always a hard worker as a youth, working for area farmers and helping his father with the family's Carlson Dairy in Aurelia.

On December 7, 1957, he was united in marriage to Doris Maffin at the Memorial Presbyterian Church in Cherokee and they were blessed with three sons, Jeff, Tim, and Greg. He was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran Church in Alta and later joined the Presbyterian Church in Cherokee where he was an active member, serving on the Board of Trustees and teaching Sunday school. He was also instrumental in several large building projects at the church.

Chuck enjoyed being active in the communities in which he lived. He served on the Cherokee City Council and was a member of the Storm Lake Fire Deportment. He spent the last thirty three years of his working career with Tyson Foods where he retired from in 2003. Prior to that he worked for a number of local companies, including Iowa Electric Light and Power, Grundman Hicks and Victory Cleaners.
Chuck was known as an excellent craftsman with a passion for making things with his skilled hands. He could build or fix most anything and over the years accumulated most every tool required to do so. His inventory of tools provided a steady supply to many friends and family members. He loved attending auctions and going to garage sales. He and Doris loved to dance, dating back to their first years together at the Cobblestone in Storm Lake. His favorite indoor pastime was watching American Pickers, Pawn Shop, and old westerns on television.

After retiring, Chuck and Doris traveled extensively. In the winters they traveled throughout the southwest United States and they spent many weeks in the summer with their camper trailer in Okoboji. They cherished the many life-long friends they made in their travels and time spent with family.

Chuck dearly loved his friends and family. He was a caring, loving husband and father who was very giving of his time and was always there to help those in need. He had a very special place in his heart for his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Chuck is survived in love by his wife, Doris, of nearly 60 years of marriage. Sons Jeff (Elizabeth) Carlson of Houston, TX, Tim (Gina) Carlson of Overland Park, KS, and Greg (Ramona) Carlson of Cherokee, IA. Grandchildren Jolin (Elizabeth) Carlson, Heather (Tony) Mayer, Sarah (Justin) Fennimore, Bryce (Johnna) Carlson, Shanon Carlson, Rachelle (Justin) Sorenson, Charlie Ann Carlson, Kendra Burns and Jordan Weaver. Great grandchildren, Ava and Kye Carlson and Harris Sorenson. His niece Denise (Greyling) Fredericksen, brothers-in-law Gary (Charlotte) Maffin, Mike (Cynthia) Maffin, Burt Faust, and sister-in-law Marilyn Maffin.

Chuck is preceded in death by his parents, mother and father in-law, sister Edith Gustafson and husband Stewart Gustafson, brothers-in-law Rodney Maffin and Charlie Maffin, sister-in-laws Margaret Maffin and Velda Faust. Daughter in law, Mary Carlson.