Phil Carlson

H. (HAROLD) PHILIP CARLSON was born on July 21, 1934, at Chicago, Illinois and departed this life on September 19, 2015. He was the son of the late HAROLD and GERTRUDE (GARDSTROM) CARLSON. On December 27, 1960, he was united in marriage to DONNA MAE DIEHL at First Church of the Nazarene in Des Moines, Iowa. And to this union were born four children. Surviving his passing are his devoted wife, DONNA MAE DIEHL (CARLSON) of Bolingbrook, Illinois, three sons DAN (Mary) CARLSON of Crest Hill, Illinois, RANDY (Caroline) CARLSON of Arvada, Colorado, and TERRY (Colleen) CARLSON of Woodridge, Illinois, and one daughter SANDY (Ken) KUNDERT of Plainfield, Illinois. Also surviving are three grandchildren, KENNY AND PHILIP KUNDERT and BRITTANY VIANO. Preceded in death by his sister DORIS (Art) VANGAMERON and his brother RUSSELL (Joanne) CARLSON. Phil was a life-long Nazarene being brought by his parents as a baby to First Church of the Nazarene in Chicago. He grew up in this church, becoming a member and regularly attending until college days. He was also a member at varied times of Nazarene churches in Des Plaines, Ill., Bolingbrook, Ill., and Worth, Ill., where he attended regularly and held many offices through the years. Phil attended Olivet Nazarene University earning a Bachelor’s degree (AB) in English in 1958. He earned a Master’s degree in Elementary Education from ONU in 1974. He also earned a Master’s degree in Educational Administration from Roosevelt University in 1976. He also attended Northern Illinois University, North Central College, Illinois State University, and National College of Education. Next to God, family, and the church, Phil’s main love and vocation was teaching. He taught at Worth Elementary, in Worth, Illinois, Oakview Elementary in New Lenox, Illinois and Lincoln and A. O. Marshall Elementary schools in Joliet, Illinois. He taught 5th through 8th grades but mostly 5th grade. Phil served in the U. S. Army from June 1958 to June 1960 spending 19 months in Landstuhl, Germany as a troop information instructor with his unit, the 46th Surgical Hospital (Mobile Army). He reached the grade of Specialist 4th Class. He was elected as trustee to the Fountaindale Public Library Board in Bolingbrook/Romeoville. He also served as President of the Community Services Council of Bolingbrook/Romeoville, an inter-village consolidated services committee. One of Phil’s most enjoyable jobs was director of Nazarene Kiddie Kollege in Bolingbrook. He also worked at varied times for Illinois Central Railroad, National Can Corporation, Nabisco, Burns International Security, Pinkerton Security, and most recently the Edward Hospital Security Department. He was also a life-long Chicago Cubs fan and liked attending Wrigley Field and keeping score of the game. He often kept lists of statistics on the players and could tell you the abilities of them all. Most of all he loved God, his dear wife and family, and the church. Not much would excite him more than an increase in Sunday school or church attendance or a new family joining our group. If he could speak to us today he would say, “Only one life, ‘twill soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last” and quote Third John 4, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”