Lifetime Dunn County resident, Ellen Carlson recently stepped forward to gift three new funds to the Foundation: The Alan J. Carlson Library Legacy Fund, the Arlien W. Carlson Library Legacy Fund, and the Alan J. and Ellen E. Carlson Mabel Tainter Fund.
Education was very important to Alan Carson and his family. He graduated from UW-Stout with a degree in Business Administration with a minor in psychology, and also earned an extended degree in Agriculture from UW-River Falls. Alan had a passion for learning and expanding his cultural and historical knowledge. During his time as a member of the Wisconsin Leadership Program, Alan traveled all over the country and world, including Washington D.C., New Mexico, Hungary, Turkey, and Vietnam. He was an avid reader and progressive thinker, and instilled those traits in his children and grandchildren.
To honor her husband’s memory, she opened the Alan J. Carlson Library Legacy Fund in Honor of His Grandchildren. This fund will help fuel early-learning programming at the Menomonie Public Library, and it is Ellen’s vision that future generations of children will become lifelong learners beginning at an early age.
The Arlien W. Carlson Library Legacy Fund was donated for public, educational and charitable purposes for the benefit of the Boyceville Library, specifically to support computer and technology services. Arlien had been a teacher before marrying a farmer, foregoing her career to take care of the family farm. Arlien continued to read and educate herself, frequently visiting the Boyceville Library and checking out books. Later in life, Arlien graduated from UW-Stout with a degree in Education at the age of 66.
“I made a promise to Alan that I’d give something to the library in his mother’s name, but I also wanted to honor Alan and our lives together.”
And so, Ellen opened a third fund: The Alan J. and Ellen E. Carlson Mabel Tainter Fund. This fund represents their lifelong passion for travel, culture and education and the hope that others will continue to experience history right here in Dunn County.
Ellen was reminded of a trip Alan had been on which involved a donkey ride to a special, beautiful location in Turkey. He promised to take her there one day after they retired. Unfortunately, Alan passed away before he could fulfill that promise. “I tell people this all the time: don’t wait. Experience things when you can because we don’t know when our time is up.”
Alan Carlson as a young man.
Ellen Carlson as a young woman.
Alan with his mother, Arlien
Arlein Carlson graduating from UW-Stout
Alan Carlson at the fair.