Raymond Spencer Carlson

CHASSELL - Raymond Spencer Carlson, 74, born Feb. 14, 1935, in Detroit, passed away with his family by his side on Wednesday, June 24, 2009, at Marquette General Hospital.

Ray was a 1953 graduate of Houghton High School where he served as student council president and was a standout athlete. Ray excelled in football, basketball and track and field, winning the Funke Award as the most outstanding high school athlete in the Upper Peninsula. He graduated from Northern Michigan University in 1960 with a degree in education, funded by two years of service to our country in the U.S. Army. He then completed his master's in education in 1968 and a specialist in education in 1969 credentials from Wayne State University.

During his dedicated career, Ray/Raymond/Spence/ Spencer/Mr. C. worked as teacher, assistant principal and principal at Michigan Public Schools, including Almont, Port Huron, Avondale, Mt. Clemens, Suttons Bay, Johannesburg-Lewiston and Perry. He joined Painesdale-Jeffers as a principal in 1975, where he taught for over two decades until his retirement, twice serving as commencement speaker at graduation.

Ray enjoyed his retirement, including several hobbies of daily swimming, attending and volunteering at local sporting events, attending classes at Michigan Tech, performing research for the Michigan Tech archives, traveling and routinely meeting up with friends over coffee.

Ray was a member of St. Anne's Catholic Church in Chassell.

He is survived by his loving wife of 42 years, Marilyn Carlson; three children, Kyle (Jenn Tengco) Carlson of San Diego, Calif., Corey (Michelle) Carlson of Raleigh, N.C., and Kristin (Mike Guzzo) Carlson of Albany, N.Y.; grandson, Camren Carlson; sister, Sharon Mackrain; brother-in-law, Don Arnson; nieces and nephews, Gerald Arnson, Mary Mackrain, Timothy Mackrain, Mary Parsons, Kathy Wiitala and Carol Yoshizumi.

Ray was preceded in death by his father, Raymond Carlson; mother, Fay Carlson; and sister, Arlene Arnson.

If Spence had written this himself, he would have written "Gone on another trip. See you later."

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 27, 2009, at St. Albert the Great Parish in Houghton with Fr. Larry VanDamme as celebrant.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Jukuri-Antila Funeral Home in Hancock where a parish prayer service will be held at 5:30 p.m. Visitation will continue on Saturday at the church from 10 a.m. until the time of the funeral mass. Burial will be in the Forest Hill Cemetery in Houghton.

Arrangements are being handled by Antila Funeral Service, Inc. Online condolences may be expressed to the family at antilafuneral.com.