Carl Svenson

Carl Svenson age 86, of Decorah, IA passed away peacefully on Thursday, October 5, 2023, at his home with family and friends by his side. Funeral Services will be at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, October 14, 2023, at the First Lutheran Church, 604 W Broadway St. in Decorah with Rev. David Severtson presiding. Carl donated his body for scientific research to the University of Iowa Carver College Medicine, University of Iowa Health Care, Deeded Body Program. A private burial service with military rites will take place later in Lutheran Cemetery, Decorah, Iowa. Visitation will be from 9:00 a.m. until the time of service on Saturday at the church. Carl’s service can be watched at the following link: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GBg36zRsPY8 There will be a reception and meal following the service at the Decorah Fire Station, 400 Claiborne Dr., Decorah, IA. Carl Svenson – January 11, 1937 – October 5, 2023 Carl Gerald Svenson, age 86, passed away peacefully at his home in Decorah, Iowa, surrounded by family and friends on October 5, 2023. He was born on January 11, 1937, in Decorah, Iowa to Sverre and Marie (Weflen) Svenson. He was baptized at Hauge Lutheran Church and confirmed at First Lutheran Church in Decorah. He attended school in Decorah, played football for Decorah High School and graduated with the class of 1954. He joined the United States Army in 1954, trained as a paratrooper serving in Germany until 1958. Carl attended Luther College for one year where he played football and met Sally Desjardin. They were married on June 13, 1959, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Until her passing in 1997, they were married 37 years and blessed with three children: Lizbeth, Nicoline, and Patricia. In November 1997 Carl traveled with a group of firefighters to Germany where he met Victoria Lobell. They were married on July 9, 1999, in Chicago, Illinois, enjoying 24 years of marriage. He was blessed to be with her on his final day. Beginning in high school, Carl worked many years for Sverre Svenson and Sons Construction as a builder, carpenter, and finish work specialist – a “wood whisperer”. Carl liked to make wood creations which he often signed and dated: such as the flag stand used during Nordic Fest, the playing card holder at the Decorah Fire Station, the visitor’s guest book stand at the Iowa Fire Fighters Memorial in Coralville, a speaker podium, and three pieces of child size cabinetry made for his girls at Christmas 1965, now enjoyed by Lincoln, his great-granddaughter. Carl joined the volunteer Decorah Fire Department on February 18, 1961, was First Assistant Chief in 1966, 1967, 1968 and the Fire Chief 1969 through 1973. He retired from the volunteer fire department on January 11, 1993, with 32 years and 10 months of service and 30 years credit for return as a retiree in the Decorah Fire Department. He would often play cards at the station. In 1961 he made a wooden holder for their decks of cards which he cut down to fit new kitchen cabinet drawer in 2011. The firefighters still use this card holder when they play cards at the station. Carl worked in the State Fire Marshal Division for the State of Iowa from 1973 through 2001, first as an instructor, then as an investigator in Northeast Iowa. He was a certified bomb technician and known as Special Agent 705. He traveled to many cities across the State of Iowa to inspect schools and buildings, and to investigate fires, explosions, or bomb threats. He was a fire training instructor for fire, police, and sheriff departments in Iowa; he taught at fire schools in Iowa and the Tri-state area. Carl was an active member of the Iowa Firefighters Association; he served as the association’s 100th President in 1979. He was among the group of firefighters whose idea was to establish a memorial to firefighters of Iowa. The Iowa Firefighters Memorial dedication took place in Coralville, Iowa in April 1994. Carl missed only a few annual memorial services. He missed the memorial this year as he thought he should rest instead of traveling due to his health, and he told his daughters, “I will go next year”. Carl was a Sunday school teacher, football referee in Northeast Iowa, as well as a Boy Scout Master. He enjoyed traveling throughout the United States and Europe. He enjoyed family picnics, reunions, and camping trips, going to Iowa Hawkeye football games, golfing, card playing, traveling with his friends and visits with his family. He especially liked sharing sights of Decorah with anyone who visited. Carl is survived by his wife Victoria (Lobell) Svenson of Decorah, Iowa, his three daughters; Lizbeth Svenson (Gary Kinsinger) of Coralville, Iowa, Nicoline Ryan (Jimmy) of Gulf Shores, Alabama, and Patricia Ricci (Matthew) of East Bethel, Minnesota; his grandchildren Ryan Balentine, Colleen Weiler (Laura), Rebecca Weiler and Julie Vance (Jeromy), his great-grandchildren Lincoln Weiler, Josie Vance and Jacob Vance, his brother Richard Svenson (Linda), his brothers-in-law George Lobell and David Lobell, his sister-in-law Linda (Desjardin) Johnson (Ted), as well as numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, and extended family members. Carl is preceded in death by his wife Sally (Desjardin) Svenson, his parents Sverre and Marie (Weflen) Svenson, one brother in infancy, brothers Gary Svenson and David Svenson, sisters-in-law Donna Svenson and DiAnn Svenson, parents-in-law Edward Desjardin and Esther (Sorensen) Desjardin, brothers-in-law James Desjardin and Richard Desjardin, sisters-in-law Bonnie (Desjardin) Kujawa and Martha (Wagner) Desjardin, his grandchildren Jessica Marie Svenson-Balentine and John Steven Ricci. Carl was always there for his family, his beloved fire department, community, and the State of Iowa. A phone call and Carl was there! His wit and kindness will be sorely missed. Carl donated his body for scientific research to the University of Iowa Carver College Medicine, University of Iowa Health Care, Deeded Body Program. A private burial service with military rites will take place later in Lutheran Cemetery, Decorah, Iowa. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Carl’s name may be directed to the Carl and Sally Svenson Scholarship, Decorah Community School District Foundation Dollars for Scholars, Hacker and Nelson Co., attention: Bryan Panos, 123 W. Water Street, Decorah, Iowa 52101, or the Decorah Fire Department, 400 Claiborne Street, Decorah, Iowa 52101, or the Iowa Firefighters Memorial.