Glenda Joan Carlson, 61

Glenda Joan Carlson, 61, of Great Falls, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, Oct.17, 2018 at her home.

A memorial service in honor of her life will be held at 2 p.m. this Saturday, Oct. 27, in the Rose Room Chapel at Croxford Funeral Home, in Great Falls, with burial to follow at Highland Cemetery. Cremation will take place prior to services.

Glenda was born in Kalispell to parents Glen Morris Wynne and Dian Jeanne Ernest on April 6, 1957. In her early years, Glenda started her working life at the children’s clothing store, Mr. B’s. It is here that she developed a love for retail, finding deals, and a genuine generosity for giving. Glenda’s children often modeled clothes for the stores catalog and were known as the best dressed kids in town. In 1986, Glenda transitioned into a new life, leaving home to settle in Great Falls. She began this new chapter in life working for the Longhorn Lounge, where she developed a new career for herself bartending. In 1986, Glenda met who would become the absolute love of her life, Dan Carlson. Together they developed a sincere friendship that blossomed both their lives, bringing them together as devoted loving spouses in February of 1990. They never left each other’s side. Anyone who knew Glenda and Dan, knew them as husband and wife – a match made in heaven. They later renewed the vows they made to each other from day one, making that blessed union official by getting married on Sept. 1, 2011.

Over 25 years of Glenda’s career life was spent bartending. After the Longhorn, she worked for various other businesses including Littles, Spoons, and the Iron Pine Lounge. She did return to the Longhorn during several of those years as well. In her final years of working, after having hung up the bartending apron, Glenda found a renewed joy in retail working for Ross clothing.

Everyone knew Glenda as a generous, genuinely loving, and selfless woman. Her enjoyment for retail gave her a love for shopping which she used constantly to be out finding something that she felt she needed to give to someone. And she always found the perfect thing. When she wasn’t giving everything of her self to family and friends, Glenda had a serious enjoyment for TV. It was often Christmas in July as she loved watching Christmas movies on the Hallmark channel, along with all of her other favorites shows. And she had a TV in every single room so that she would never miss a thing. Glenda also enjoyed reading romance novels and other such books. She liked to crochet, do arts and crafts, bake cookies, cakes and pies. And as the Carlson matriarch, she absolutely loved to make sure family was together for the holidays, in addition to all the other life celebrations that kept their friends and family close. She also loved traveling with Dan. Together they enjoyed going to car shows and sightseeing to historical sites and mansions. Throughout the course of her life, Glenda also made time each and every year to travel back to Kalispell for a special lifelong friend, Susan Rauthe.

Glenda and Dan created a full and memorable life for themselves and for their children. Glenda was a loving and devoted wife that never missed an opportunity to tell Dan just how much she loved him and was constantly thanking him for the loving, fairytale life he provided for her. Together they enjoyed raising their children. She felt so proud to have been a part of their daughter’s wedding earlier this year. Glenda always put everyone before herself. She was the epitome of who you think about when hearing the phrase, grandma of the year. The genuine love, time and passion that she poured out into the lives of her grandchildren, should have won her awards.

Above and beyond everything that was Glenda’s life, she would want to be remembered for the undying love and joy that she took in caring for her grandchildren, children, friends, family and strangers. And that she loved, and was devoted to Dan, who provided the absolute best life she ever thought possible, and was in every way, “Her Life.”

She is survived in passing by her loving husband of 30 years, Dan Carlson; daughter, Erika (Korie) Patterson; sons, Bryant (Kelly) Kruckenberg and Brandon (Erica) Kruckenberg; sisters, Wanda Gilchrist of Kalispell, Kelly (Dave) Horner of Great Falls, Dona (Grant) Stebbins of Great Falls, Dian Bowers of Elizabeth, Colorado, and Debi Hautala of Seaford, Delaware; brother, Michael (Candy) Wynne; seven grandchildren, Sashua Hier, Lauren McDowell, Shawn Kruckenberg, Raiden Kruckenberg, Daniel Kruckenberg, Alli Kruckenberg, and Emma Patterson; plus numerous nieces and nephews.

Glenda was preceded in passing by her parents, Glen and Dian Wynne, and her nephew, Colby Ballenger.

Glenda will be missed by every single person who was blessed enough to have been touched by her.

Condolences to the family may be shared online at www.croxfordfuneralhome.com.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made at https://www.gofundme.com/glendacarlson039s-funeral-costs