Annabel Kathryn Carlsen

Where there's a will, there's a way.

Annabel Carlsen, age 93, of La Grande, died April 1, 2014 at her home. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, April 12, 2014 at 1:00 p.m. at Daniels~Knopp Funeral, Cremation & Life Celebration Center. Interment will follow at the Island City Cemetery.

Annabel Kathryn (Lange) Carlsen was born at home on December 11,1920 in Sparta Wisconsin. She was the second child of Maurice Wesley Lange and Anna (Clausen) Lange. She was raised as her Dad’s helper on the farm.

In 1937 her family moved many times before settling in La Grande. She graduated from La Grande High School in 1939.  Annabel met Donald Lester Carlsen at The Assembly of God Church. Lester Carlsen, Don’s father, married the couple on March 4, 1943 while Don was on leave from The Merchant Marines.

La Grande was their home for their entire lives. Don and Annabel worked side by side building seven houses in the area.They had four daughters, the oldest dying at birth. Janet, Susan and Linda all enjoyed a life of self sufficiency, hard work and plenty of time for fun. You’d often see the Carlsen family loading up the Mercury station wagon  to go camping, hiking, skiing, rafting  or just hit the road.  Annabel modelled female independence by hiking solo to the top of the Eagle Caps while in her fifties.

Annabel was a conscientious bookkeeper and tax consultant.She was incredulous when she found out that her daughters didn’t always balance their check books. After Don retired from the Union Pacific Railroad, they traveled extensively including trips to Hawaii, The Cook Islands, Australia, and numerous trailer treks into Mexico and the Grand Canyon.

Annabel was  accomplished at sewing, canning, crocheting, counted cross stitch and carpentry. She was a dedicated grandmother and always remembered everyone’s birthday, even up to her last days.

After her “Dearie” Don died in 2011, Annabel made her home at Grande Ronde Retirement where she was a friend to all and a constant participant in activities.

Annabel is survived by her daughters: Janet Heimbigner (Buddy) of Walla Walla, Washington; Susan Sherburn (Craig) of Milwaukie, Oregon; Linda Carlsen (Tom Woodruff) of La Grande, Oregon. She had five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Let’s remember her as Don did on her ninetieth birthday- she drove a straight nail, cooked a good steak, and had nice full lips.Out at the cemetery in Island City on a granite gravestone harvested from Anthony Lake’s it reads, “As the river flows, so their souls together forever.”

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