Marjorie Carlson

Marjorie Jane Hardman Carlson, age 93, departed this life for a life of peace and tranquility with the angels in heaven on Wednesday, October 26, 2016, at The Edinboro Manor. Marge was the last born of four to the late Glenn B. Hardman and Verna Shields Hardman on August 21, 1923.

Marge grew up on a dairy farm on Eureka Road Edinboro, PA. She began her education in a one-room schoolhouse located on Sherrod Hill Road near Eureka Road. She graduated from Edinboro High School in the Class of 1941. She married the late Roy S. Carlson (deceased September 18, 2011) in October of 1942 and they had two children. Unfortunately, this union was also well-known in the Erie County Divorce Court.

In 1960 she began working in the cafeteria when General McLane High School located on Route 99 first opened its doors. Marge was always an excellent cook and loved baking. She made the best homemade cinnamon rolls, sticky buns, and yeast-raised doughnuts. She became the baker and baked homemade cookies, apple crisp, or cakes to feed the entire school every day. In the late 1960s she wanted full-time employment so obtained a job in the machine shop at Penn Union in Edinboro and retired in 1988.

Besides having a very strong work ethic, she had a lot of tenacity. Marge was multi-talented. She was an excellent seamstress making most of her and her daughter’s clothes. She loved the challenge of getting the plaids to match when making a suit, skirt, or slacks. She loved re-finishing antique furniture and doing the painting and almost all of the repairs to her home. She loved flowers and vegetable gardening. At the local fairs, she won many ribbons for her baking and flower arrangements. Marge LOVED animals, especially her many cats. But her true passion was her horses. She was most proud of her barn she designed and had built, including doing a lot of the work herself.

Marge was a member of the Town and Country Garden Club, the Shadbush club, and the Order of Eastern Star, Chapter 356 which later joined with Chapter 22 in Albion.

In addition to her parents, Marge was predeceased by her son, Dennis R. Carlson (May 24, 2011), and her brothers, Paul, John, and Harold Hardman. Three horses, Chippy, Thunder, and Glory also predeceased Marge.

She is survived by her daughter, Jan Zeart, and her husband, John (a.k.a. Randall), of Edinboro. Four grandchildren: Clare Margaret “Maggi” Carlson Fallon (husband Joe Fallon) of Jefferson, OH; Brent Carlson (wife Amelia) of Bolivar, TN; Melanie Carlson (husband Tom Extein) of Mercer, PA; and Jeff Carlson of Edinboro. Also surviving are three great-grandchildren: Chelsea Kerr-Vargo (husband Phil) of Lyndhurst, OH; C.J. Paine of Concord, OH; and Cierra Paine of Geneva, OH. Marge is also survived by two nephews, Barry Hardman and Garry Hardman of Edinboro. A daughter-in-law, Rosalie Carlson, also survives. Surviving are also her horses Misty and Dee. Marge is survived by her extra special friend/daughter-of-the-heart, Leah Therasse and her husband, Bob Nagy, of Edinboro.

Thank you to the staff of the Edinboro Manor for over six and a half years of excellent and compassionate care. Thank you to Great Lakes Hospice nurse Susan. Marge’s absolute passion in life was her horses. There is no way to adequately say THANK YOU to Leah, Bob, and their family for all of their support over the years so Marge could enjoy her horses.

Friends may call at the Glunt Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., 210 Erie Street, Edinboro, on Saturday, November 5, 2016 from 9 am to the time of the service at 11am with Rev. Matt Falco officiating.

Burial will be in Edinboro Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Because You Care, Inc., 6041 West Road, McKean, PA 16426. Donations may also be made online at www.becauseyoucare.org. To send condolences please visit WWW.GLUNTFUNERALHOME.COM.