Dennis Ralph Carlson

Dennis Ralph Carlson was born to Ralph and Laurabel Carlson, on January 31st, 1947. He grew up in the historic Snusville neighborhood on the East side of Des Moines, Iowa. Denny’s father Ralph was a firefighter and a much loved Swedish radio personality. Denny was proud of his Swedish roots and known as a local historian. He helped prevent the demolishment of the Norden Row House in the East village which was moved and restored.

Denny attended the historic Kemper Military Academy in Booneville, Missouri. He took great joy in attending Kemper reunions to make and re-connect with dear friends in recent years.

Denny loved Baseball and Snoopy. During Baseball season you could find him at the Hull Avenue Tavern or The Waveland rooting for the Cubs and drinking a beer with his buddies who meant the world to him. The Chicago Cubs winning the 2016 World Series was a high point in Denny’s life! Denny also loved movies (especially westerns) and had an impressive collection that was meticulously maintained.

Denny was an epic story teller and delivered his stories in a slow yet deliberate cadence and would grin with one eye brow lifted when the story got juicy. He had a backlog of stories acquired over a lifetime of adventures – and loved to talk of summers staying at his uncle’s family ranch in Ukiah, CA, life guarding and surfing adventures in California and New Jersey, Corvettes, motorcycles and travels to Sweden, Norway and Europe.

Denny knew most interstates and highways in the United States intimately and for the last 22 years has shown them to Lynn and their dogs with memorable trips and adventures.

Denny was a long time active member of the Masonic order, Scottish Rite, a past master of the Auburn Union Park Lodge, a member of Acanthus Lodge and an active member of the ZaGaZig shrine. Denny sang bass with the Shrine Chanters just as his father and grandfather had sung before him.

Denny leaves behind his love of 22 years Lynn Treangen, his son Erik, his step-daughters Becca (Eric), Jamie (Dave) and Sara (Sanjin), his grandchildren Jonah, Katie and Samuel and his sweet cocker spaniel Josie (aka Joe Cocker). He leaves his much loved Johnson family in California and Oregon. Finally, he leaves his many dear friends.

Denny died of complications from mesothelioma on Easter Sunday, April 12th, 2020.

Visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Saturday, April 18th, 2020 at Hamilton’s Funeral Home, 605 Lyon Street, Des Moines. Interment will follow at Masonic Cemetery. Celebration of Life in late summer of 2020.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to Animal Lifeline, PO Box 12, Carlisle, IA, 50047 in Denny’s memory.

Condolences may be expressed at: www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com

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