Walter P. Carlson

Walter P. Carlson, 75, cherished husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and friend peacefully passed away surrounded by his family Wednesday December 29, 2010. He is survived by his loving wife of 47 years Gail Carlson; sons Timothy J. Carlson, Endicott, NY, Scott P. Carlson and wife Stephanie, Granite Shoals, TX, Paul D. Carlson and wife April, Kirkwood, NY; grandchildren Jessica House and husband Jim, Justine Carlson, Allison Carlson, Dylan Carlson, Zachary Carlson, Brandon Carlson and Christopher Carter; great grandchildren Natalya and Bradley; brother Don and wife Rosemary. Many nieces, nephews and close friends. He was predeceased by his parents, Walter W. and Lena H. Carlson; two sisters-in-law Nancy Jackson and Joan Carlson.

Walter graduated from Johnson City High School in 1953. Served in the U.S. Army. Retired from I.B.M after 39 years and owned and operated Carlson’s Key Shop since 1975. He loved playing bingo, golf and poker and was always up to having a good cold beer. He cherished his time hunting and fishing with his sons throughout New York and trips to Canada, Alaska and Texas. His family was always first in his thoughts and prayers and always kept him busy, especially his grandchildren. First and foremost in his heart was his deep and tremendous love for his wife.

A Funeral Mass will be offered Monday, January 3, 2011 at 10:00a.m. at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 306 Odell Ave. Endicott, NY. Burial will follow at Riverhurst Cemetery, Endwell, NY. Family will receive friends Sunday January 2, 2011 from 5:00pm – 8:00p.m. at the Wm. R. Chase & Son Funeral Home 737 Chenango St. Port Dickinson,NY 13901 .

He will be incredibly missed and will never be forgotten.

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Walter “Walt” Peter Carlson was born March 7, 1935 in Johnson City, N.Y. to Walter W. and Lena H. Carlson. Walt had one older brother Donald J. Carlson. Growing up Walt and Don did everything together and enjoyed many things especially time at the family cottage on Silver Lake in Deposit, N.Y. He was a Boy Scout and was member of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church while growing up in Johnson City. Walt grew up having many interests including hunting and fishing with his family and friends. Walt also loved to go to dances while in school. He graduated from Johnson City High School in 1953. After graduation he went to work for I.B.M. in Endicott, N.Y. and was a Johnson City Auxiliary Police Officer where he went on many patrols with his father. In 1955 he decided to serve his country and he joined the U.S. Army. During his time in the Army Walt was able to travel and spend time in Germany, Italy, and France. After leaving the Army in 1957 he again went to work for I.B.M. in Endicott. In September 1962 he met the love of his life, Joan “Gail” Brown and they united in marriage at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church in Endicott, N.Y. on February 23, 1963. Walt and Gail had three sons, Timothy J. Carlson, Scott P. Carlson and Paul D. Carlson. Originally living in West Corners, N.Y. they moved into Gail’s childhood home in 1975. After moving in Walt took over Gail’s father’s key business, Brown’s Key Shop, located in the basement. Walt changed the name to Carlson’s Key Shop and operated it for the rest of his life. During Walt's career with I.B.M. there were two times that for six months he lived and worked in Singapore. When Walt finally retired from I.B.M. in 1992 after 39 years of service he was then able to spend more time working the key shop and even more time with his family. Walt’s family grew as his sons got married and he welcomed his daughters-in-law Lisa, April and Stephanie into his life. Becoming a grandfather was truly a wonderful turning point in Walt’s life. His grandchildren Jessica, Justine, Allison, Christopher, Dylan, Zachary, Brandon, two great grandchildren Natalya and Bradley, and grandson-in-law Jim House were the light of his life.

Walter P. Carlson was a modest man, humble, quiet and observant in his ways. He was trustworthy and traditional in his approach to his life and in his relationships. He was tough-minded with the kind of "stick to it" attitude that earned the respect of all who knew him. He was also a man who was meticulous, carefully disciplined, and orderly in virtually everything he undertook. Realistic about life, he was always at the ready, prepared to take on responsibility. As a wise and intelligent man he had the ability to educate people in his own quiet way. Making friends was something he loved to do and he certainly proved that friendships can last a lifetime. He was a caring man who never raised his voice nor became upset over anything. With his big heart and wonderful wisdom Walt was always able to help in any situation that somebody needed help with. He truly loved people and never had an ill word to say about anyone. Walt had the innate ability to break into conversation with anybody and made friends everywhere he went. Always having a smile on his face he was always at the ready to listen to a story or to tell a story. He was very proud of his family and always made it a point to let those he came in contact with know how proud he was. Even in his later years as he struggled with his illnesses he never once complained and instead was always more concerned about how everybody else was. Being as disciplined as he was about providing for his family and friends he was always working or working on something. He truly led by example and exemplified the meaning of life.

Always considered a "good" friend to those he knew, Walt enjoyed a broad group of acquaintances and several very close friends during his lifetime. While growing up, some of his best friends were Jim Netherton and Dick Nezelek. Later in life, he became friends with Harold Borgna, Dick Smith, Carl Janis, Phil Bixby, Ted Raczek, Joe Marino, Bryant Mabee, Tony and Edie Strines and Zoran and Meliah Salipur. The friends he graduated from high school with remained a big part of his life and meeting the group for breakfast once a month was something Walt would always look forward to. Also the guys he worked with at I.B.M. remained close to each other and they enjoyed meeting for breakfast once a month. As a friend Walt touched the lives of many people in his lifetime and left a warmth in their hearts that only he could leave.

Though he never set out to gain individual recognition, Walt was given accolades for his many and varied accomplishments throughout his life. Some of his most prestigious awards included Senior Associate Plastics Engineer and membership into I.B.M.’s Quarter Century Club. He also was proud to have Carlson’s Key Shop sponsor his bowling team for many years. He was seldom one who wanted self recognition and instead liked to recognize and congratulate others on their accomplishments.

Walt enjoyed traveling and time away on vacations. It was a chance for him to renew and relax, to visit new places and experience new things. Favorite vacations included trips to Canada fishing and bear hunting with his sons, Alaska-salmon fishing and bear hunting, trips to Texas to go hunting with his sons and a trip that him and Gail took to England to see Pauline and George. He loved sitting at the cottage, having a beer and watching humming birds. After his retirement he could always be found at the cottage during the summer visiting with friends on the front porch or quietly rowing around the lake fishing and visiting with friends as he rowed past their docks.

Having many interests during his life always kept Walt very busy. Even in retirement, Walt continued to stay in touch with his old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances. In retirement, he found new pleasure in as Walt would say, "Being as busy as I want to be". Walt was active in his community and felt fulfilled with the opportunities retirement offered him. He had a strong faith in God and most recently enjoyed being a member of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church. The key shop brought about him finding locks dating back from the 1800’s and picking them open and hand forming a key for them and then proudly displaying them. He loved tinkering with things and could fix anything.He thoroughly enjoyed helping people with their lock or key issues and most of the time only charged what he had into the job. Planting a garden every year and growing his vegetables , especially garlic and tomatoes, gave Walt another way to be outside. Over the years he carefully tended to his grape vines at the cottage and at his home.His interest in antique cars took him on many trips throughout the country with his father in law, Lewis K. Brown, attending many car shows tracking down parts for the Pierce-Arrow and the Brush. Breeding and raising beagles for many years allowed him and his sons to enjoy some very successful rabbit hunting on the weekends. Goose hunting in King Ferry, N.Y. was a big part of Walt’s weekends with his sons and friends Ted and Harold. His love of goose hunting at one point led him and Ted to start their own business making and selling goose decoys out of Walt’s garage. Fishing at Silver Lake was always one of his greatest pastimes especially with his sons in the row boat with him all casting a black double jitter bug trying to catch that monster largemouth bass. Getting everybody into the car in the evenings and driving the back roads behind the cottage looking for deer is usually what he did when his family was with him at the cottage. Skeet shooting over the beaver dam during the winter months is what he liked to do with his sons when there was nothing in season to hunt. Gail was always happy when he came back with his limit from a night of smelting in Ithaca. With his sons he enjoyed three trips to New Brunswick, Canada bear hunting, one to Alaska moose hunting, and many trips to Texas deer and hog hunting. A trip to Alaska fishing with Ted for three weeks when Walt retired and a trip to Wyoming deer hunting with Ted years before were experiences that created many stories to be told. When he was growing up he deer hunted at the cottage with his father, brother,uncles, and cousins and then years later hunted with his sons and family in Oxford, N.Y. for many years. For the last 25 years of his life him and his sons leased hunting property in Willet, N.Y. where their hunting success, time in the woods and memories created became more wonderful with each passing year. Deer hunting with his sons was always something that came up during most of the conversations he had with his sons and would always be about past hunting memories with the family and planning for future memories to be created. Walt shot many deer during his life including a ten point shot in Willet,N.Y. and a nine point he shot in Big Lake,TX and he proudly displayed both over the fireplace. On days when Walt did not catch a fish or shoot and animal and someone asked him how the day was he would say “it was a successful day, I didn’t have to clean anything”. Sharing in enjoying a good cold beer always made visits with Walt even more memorable for family and friends. Besides always enjoying a good cold beer Walt loved to eat, especially anything that Gail made.He truly loved all of her cooking, especially her desserts. Every night he could be found watching tv with Gail and enjoying a cup of coffee and whatever dessert Gail had made that day. He loved macaroni and tomato juice and Gail's homemade french fries.Throughout his life he loved buying new vehicles. Walt loved watching old movies, the history channel and most of all the hunting channel. Playing some kind of poker game with his friends is when you would see the intense focus quality that Walt had, more often than not Walt won at poker. He and Gail enjoyed going to Tioga Downs. From his high school days and throughout the rest of his life Walt always enjoyed dancing especially with Gail. The Jitter Bug was his favorite dance and he was very good at it. The last few years during the summer Walt could be found with his family at the camper enjoying visiting with friends and golfing. With all of Walt’s many interests there was none that came close to his love of spending time with his family. His grandchildren and great grandchildren were an everyday part of his life and time spent with them was when Walt was on top of the world. The smile on his face was always there when he was with his grandkids and he loved them all more than words can say. Tim, Scott and Paul were his best friends since the day they were each born. But without a doubt his greatest interest was always Gail, his deep and undying love for her dictated his every thought. It was with her that Walt’s love glowed. His eyes were always intensely focused on her and his heart belonged to her from the first day they met. Walt’s tremendous love for Gail was always apparent, witnessed by all and set an example for everybody to live by. Their love was truly a once in a lifetime love and will continue on for eternity.

Walt went to be with the Lord early Wednesday morning December 29, 2010 while surrounded by Gail, Tim, Scott and Paul. He left a lasting impression on the world he left behind by positively impacting the lives of all he came into contact with. He was the rock that held his family together and created memories that will transcend generations. He was a wonderful man who was cherished by all who knew him. He worshiped his family and his family worshiped him and they loved him beyond anything that could be explained. He will always be missed, always be loved and never be forgotten.

Dad, God blessed us by having you in our lives. We love you and miss you tremendously. Forever in our hearts!!!!!!