Glenn Dalton Carlson

Glenn Dalton Carlson was born in Sagola, Michigan, on March 17, 1932, to Carl Volmer and Ester Alice (Kurtz) Carlson. His family moved to Seaside, Oregon, in 1942, then on to Gearhart, Oregon. During his youth in Gearhart, Glenn worked at the Gearhart Golf Course, and spent many hours hunting, fishing and razor clam digging.

Glenn suffered a near fatal accident while on the beach, when a friend picked up a deceased seagull and jokingly thrust it towards him, puncturing his right eye. He spent many months in the hospital and in recovery, fighting infections, eventually losing his right eye and nearly losing his left eye.

He fell so far behind in his studies, that he never returned to school, therefore did not continue his education past the eighth grade. Glenn began working in the shipyard at Tongue Point painting ships, and worked after the Vanport Flood of 1948 doing cleanup.

Glenn’s family moved to the Roseburg, Oregon, area in 1950, where Glenn began logging, then went to work at Umpqua Plywood Mill, and met and married Roxanna Verneal Burgess in 1953. In 1955, Glenn and Roxanna started an excavation business with his brother, Lyman, and sister-in-law, Beverly, then went on to build a very successful portable rock crushing and excavating business around the Roseburg, Douglas County area, Douglas Earth and Rock Corp.

In 1968, Glenn and Roxanna, with their two young sons, Eric and Flint, returned to Clatsop County (Hammond, Oregon) to build and operate Carlson Contracting, where eventually both Eric and Flint worked for the business. Carlson Contracting has spent the last 50 years helping to build Clatsop County. Flint and his wife, Valerie, continue to operate the business from the Hammond, Oregon, location to the present day.

In the mid 1990s, Glenn and Roxanna retired from the business and began traveling to Arizona each winter. They later relocated to the Knappa-Brownsmead area to live near their son, Eric, his wife, Tami, and their three sons. His hobbies included photography, woodworking, gardening, salmon and sturgeon fishing and clam digging.

Glenn was a devoted husband to his wife, Roxanna, and father to his sons. He will be remembered for being a very hard worker and treating every person he ever met (both personally and in business), fairly, honestly and with respect. His wit, intelligence and love will be truly missed.

Glenn is survived by his wife, Roxanna; brother, Gale; sons, Eric and Flint; daughters-in-law, Tami and Valerie; grandson, Neil (and Lisa Shepard), parents of his great-grandson, Landin; grandsons, Bryan and Matthew; niece, Laurie (Schmeichel); nephews, Tyson and Sheldon; and numerous extended Carlson and Burgess family members.

Preceding him in death were his mother and father; brother, Lyman, and sister-in-law, Beverly; niece, Darcey (Thouvenel); and grandson, Will.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Glenn’s memory to his local volunteer fire departments, the Warrenton Fire Department or the Knappa-Svensen-Burnside Fire District.

There will be a public viewing on Thursday, Oct. 4, 2018, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., followed by a private family burial at Ocean View Cemetery in Warrenton.