Fran Carlson was born on July 26, 1932, in St Mary’s, Kansas to Francis and Martha Boelens Stockman. She grew up in St. Mary’s and graduated from Rossville High School. On December 16, 1952, she and Emerald Carlson were married in St. Mary’s. Following their marriage, they made their home in Alaska until Emerald’s discharge from the United Sates Army. In 1953 they moved to the Beresford and Hartford, SD area where they farmed until 1966 when they moved to a farm east of Fulda, MN. In the mid 1970’s they moved to a farm east of Slayton eventually making their home north of Slayton. Fran worked as a cook at several area restaurants, The Downstairs, Jr’s Town and Country Café and the County Host. Emerald passed away on December 21, 2002. In February of 2023 Fran moved to the Maple Lawn Senior Campus in Fulda. She passed away there on Friday, July 10, 2026, at the age of 93. She was a member of St. Ann’s Church in Slayton. She was a lifetime member of Slayton American Legion Auxiliary. Fran enjoyed spending time with family, cooking, baking, and dancing.
Survivors include her three children and their spouses, Lynette Carlson of Faribault, MN, Julie and Dan Bernhardt of Rossville, KS and Mike and Kim Carlson of Slayton, MN, six grandchildren, Ben and Tia Nagel, Dustin and Taylor Sievers, Dan and Becky Carlson, Michelle and John Homan, Shaunna and Dale Stein, and Cory Giessinger, 15, great-grandchildren Leah Karr and Emma Nagel, Hannah, Alannah, Noah, Karter and Kamdon Sievers, Eli Christensen, Cayden and Kennedy Homan, Treyton and Suttyn Giessinger, Cody and Hannah Giessinger, Tyson Karsky, and Tanner and Natalee Stein, two great-greatgrandchild Maddox and Holden Giessinger, one brother, Phil Stockman and his wife, Lana of Topeka, KS, one sister-in-law, Delores Stockman of Emmett, KS, and several nieces and nephews and their families. She is preceded in death by her parents, husband, 11 siblings, and their spouses, Theodore and Frances Stockman, Robert and Mary T Stockman, Regina Stockman, Elizabeth and Robert Hazzard, Patricia and Don Banks, Leo and Shirley Stockman, Harold Stockman, Joseph and Judy Stockman, Donald and Marilene Stockman, Henry Stockman, and Thomas and Dixie Stockman.
Memorial Services were in St. Ann’s Church in Slayton, MN on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. with Monsignor Gerald Kosse officiating. The organist was Judy Andrews. The song leader was Sheila Crowley. The urn bearers were her grandchildren. Interment is at Slayton Memorial Gardens in Slayton, MN.
Visitation was Wednesday, July 15, 2026, at the Totzke Funeral Home in Slayton from 4-6 p.m. and one hour prior to the services at the church on Thursday In lieu of flowers, please consider memorials to Hospice of Murray County. To view online obituary and send condolences visit totzkefuneralhome. com
