Marjorie Lou (Lundgren) Carlson, 93, of Holland, Michigan, passed away peacefully on June 11, 2026, following a brief illness.
Born March 30, 1933, in Bruce, Wisconsin, Marjorie was the seventh of eleven children born to Axel P. and Alma (Mundahl) Lundgren. She grew up on the family’s dairy farm in the hardscrabble countryside of northern Wisconsin, where hard work was a necessity and family was life’s greatest treasure. The farmhouse was small, the chores were many, but there was always room for one more at the table. During the Depression, cousins from the city often spent summers on the farm, exchanging city life for abundant meals and fresh air. From that lively family, Marjorie inherited both an independent spirit and a deep devotion to family relationships. Those early years instilled in Marjorie a resilience, warmth, and hospitality that would remain with her throughout her life.
At Bruce High School, Marjorie distinguished herself both academically and socially. She excelled in music, particularly singing and French horn, and was a member of Bruce High School’s 1948 Wisconsin state championship girls’ basketball team. Even as a young woman, she displayed the confidence, resourcefulness, and gift for friendship that would characterize her throughout her life. She seemed to have a remarkable knack for surrounding herself with people who loved her and were always willing to help her out of whatever predicament she had gotten herself into. During her later teen years, Marjorie spent summers in the Chicago suburbs with her older sisters, Ruby and Mayme. There she worked as a nanny for affluent families and developed an appreciation for beauty, elegance, and gracious living that never left her. Whether decorating a home, setting a table, arranging flowers, or selecting an outfit, she believed that beauty was one of life’s gifts to be enjoyed and shared.
Marjorie accepted a full scholarship to the National College of Education in Evanston, Illinois, where she earned her bachelor’s degree. While attending school full-time, she supported herself by working as a French cook for a wealthy family. Knowing virtually nothing about French cuisine, she nevertheless secured the position after impressing her prospective employers with a perfectly executed Hollandaise sauce prepared from a cookbook recipe.
At a church convention in Seneca, Illinois, she met Tom Carlson of Janesville, Wisconsin. Tom was immediately smitten, and he pursued her with persistence and affection until she agreed to marry him. Their wedding took place on the Lundgren family farm, bringing together two families whose values of faith, family, and hospitality would shape the years ahead.
The newlyweds settled in Janesville at Fairview Plant Farm, living in the same home where Tom had grown up. There, Marjorie formed a cherished friendship with her mother-in-law, Martha Carlson, and together they shared countless conversations over coffee and cake. Sons Noel and Jeffrey soon became the center of her world. Drawing upon her training in early childhood education, she devoted herself to creating a nurturing and enriching home for them.
Once both boys were established in school, Marjorie returned to her own studies and earned a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater. She went on to teach kindergarten in Janesville for thirty years. As a master teacher, she traveled to Germany and Australia as part of educational exchange and professional development opportunities. Generations of students, parents, and colleagues remember her as a gifted teacher who combined high expectations with warmth, encouragement, and genuine affection. Many remained in contact with her throughout her life.
Children were naturally drawn to Marjorie wherever she lived. She delighted in hosting tea parties, organizing dress-up adventures, attending recitals, and celebrating milestones. Long after her classroom years ended, she continued finding ways to invest in the lives of young people.
After retirement, she settled in Naples, Florida, where she purchased, decorated, and sold a succession of elegant homes. She also established a private business in interior decorating and floral design. Family and friends knew that a visit to Marjorie’s home meant a warm welcome, a beautiful setting, uplifting conversation, and gracious hospitality.
In the mornings, she often opened the lanai doors and sat at the piano, playing and singing “Amazing Grace” for the neighbors before enjoying her coffee and quiet time. Summers found her driving north with a back seat full of carefully chosen clothing, visiting family and friends throughout Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, and Ontario. She delighted in reconnecting with siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins, and lifelong friends, nurturing relationships that spanned generations and geography. Wherever she stopped, she left behind laughter, encouragement, and memories of a wonderful visit.
In 2023, Marjorie moved to Holland, Michigan, to be closer to family. Even in assisted living, she transformed her apartment into a place of warmth and gracious elegance. She quickly won the affection of residents and staff alike. Her door was usually open, coffee and dessert were often available, and there was always time for a little visit.
Throughout every season of her life, Marjorie’s faith in Jesus remained constant. Sundays were devoted to fellowship in homes among Christian friends who became like extended family. She treasured those relationships and the simple, enduring faith that sustained her from childhood to the very end.
Marjorie is survived by her sons, Noel (Kathleen) Carlson and Jeffrey (Karen) Carlson; grandchildren Erika (Dwayne) Bontrager, Trevor (Rachel) Carlson, Alyssa (Matthew) Kautz, Grant (Leslie) Carlson, and Hunter (Savannah) Carlson; and great-grandchildren Ana Bontrager; Caden and Avery Carlson; Luke, Jack, Hank, and Buck Kautz; Lillie Carlson; Grant Carlson Jr.; and Claire Carlson, together with many nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friends whose lives were enriched by her kindness and generosity.
Marjorie spent her life creating elegant beauty and making people feel welcome. Whether through a carefully prepared meal, a bouquet of flowers, a piano hymn in the morning, a conversation over coffee, or an open door offered to friend and stranger alike, she had a gift for helping others feel loved. Her family will remember her elegance, courage, faith, and belief that life was meant to be lived with beauty, gratitude, generosity, and grace.
A funeral service will be at 2:00pm on Saturday, June 27, 2026 at the Langeland-Sterenberg Funeral Home, 315 East 16th Street, Holland MI. Visitation is from 3:00-6:00 PM on Friday, June 26, also at the funeral home.
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