Glendetta Carlson 09/14/2026

Glendetta Strohbeen Carlson
The following was written by Glendetta herself a few years ago. Always prepared and a take-charge person, it seems only fitting that Grandma Detta would write much of her own obituary.
I was born to Elmer and Marie Strohbeen on February 17, 1924, on their farm on County H in the Town of Star Prairie. When I was five weeks old, I was taken to Children’s Hospital in St. Paul for an operation. I had a lot of health problems as a child and did not walk until I was twenty-two months old.
I was eight years old when I was able to go to Squaw Lake School. In 1932, we moved to a larger farm on Clapp’s Flat, three miles away. I then went to Cedar Lake School and later attended high school in Osceola.
I worked on the farm until Archie and I, along with three others, drove to Portland, Oregon in 1942. Archie and I were married in Vancouver, Washington. Our son, Lee, was born at St. Vincent Hospital in Portland.
The war was on in Europe, and the United States was in it also. We all got war jobs and enjoyed living in Portland. When the war was over, we returned to Wisconsin — Lee, too.
We lived and worked on the farm for many years. Many hours were spent cooking for hired men — more than 50 of them over the years. Many lived in the bunkhouse attached to the shop, which later burned down in 1965.
When Lee and Judy moved to the farm in 1966, Archie and I moved to the north end of Cedar Lake. Archie continued to help on the farm, along with painting for people in Osceola.
When I got my driver’s license, I got a job at Alan’s Greenhouse in the spring. Then I got a job at Friday Canning in the summer and fall and worked there for 30 years.
Archie and I enjoyed frequent traveling during the winter months and traveled throughout the United States, as well as to 15 foreign countries.
After living on the lake for 24 years, we moved to a townhouse in New Richmond. After knowing that I was set to live alone, Archie passed away after we had lived in New Richmond for just a year and a half. I continued to live there for 30 years until I moved to an apartment in Osceola, where I could be closer to family.
I also took pride in having donated 11 gallons of blood to the American Red Cross.
Since I had a lot of time on my hands after moving to New Richmond, I put those hands to work knitting caps for new babies at the hospital, which I did for 28 years. I also made many large quilts for church to send to Africa, as well as quilts for my grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
— The above was written by Glendetta.
Those same hands were rarely idle. To her family, Grandma Detta was also the official “family mender,” always ready to take on whatever needed fixing. Doing any of the above-mentioned, she lived a life marked by hard work, independence, generosity, and service to others.
And perhaps nothing captures Grandma Detta quite as well as the fact that she wrote her own obituary. She was prepared, practical, and independent — and she liked to make sure things were taken care of.
Grandma Detta was preceded in death by her husband, Archie.
She is survived by her son, Lee and his wife, Judy; grandchildren Larry (Jill), Chris, and Scott (Sara); great-grandchildren Ryan (Megan), Trevor (Heather), Bailey (Josh), Kyle (Brittney), Carmen (Kyle R.), Brett, and Nick (Emily); and great-great-grandchildren Jax, Weston, Emma, Jack, Olivia, Delaney, Hendrix, and Greta.
Her long life spanned generations, but the things that mattered most to her remained remarkably constant: family, hard work, helping others, and making herself useful. Her family will remember not only the many years she lived, but all that she put into those years — and all the people she cared for along the way.
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, October 10, 2026 at 1 pm at Bakken-Young Funeral & Cremation 728 S Knowles Avenue New Richmond, WI.  Visitation will also be on Saturday from 12 – 1 pm at the funeral home.  Interment will be in Oak Grove Cemetery in East Farmington, WI.  Arrangements are with Bakken-Young Funeral & Cremation Services.

Click here to watch Glendetta’s service live on Saturday at 1 pm