In Memoriam ~ Lisa Carlson, sister of Katie Bergstrom ’83, Peter Carlson ’86 and Molly Carlson ’93

Lisa Marie Carlson   

Sister of Katie Bergstrom ’83, Peter Carlson ’86 and Molly Carlson ’93

Lisa Marie Carlson was born on May 9, 1960 in Minneapolis, MN to parents Barb and Lauren Carlson. She grew up in Chokio, MN as the second of eight siblings whom she helped raise. She graduated valedictorian from Chokio-Alberta High School. She was married to Patrick Cotton of St. Joseph, MN for 22 years and had four children who all remember her as the best mother.

She went back to school while raising four young children and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of St. Benedict and her Masters of Arts in Ceramics from St. Cloud State University. Her children admirably remember her writing her thesis on a typewriter, in the middle of the kitchen, while they ran circles around her. Lisa excelled at everything she devoted herself to; she was an amazing whole foods cook and avid gardener. She grew large, organic vegetable and flower gardens every year and was a vendor at St. Joseph’s farmers market for a few years. Lisa was a lifelong artist and leaves a substantial body of work behind her. Her primary medium was ceramics and also included drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, and poetry. She ran the art galleries at St. Ben’s and St. John’s Universities as the Director of Exhibitions from 1996-2007. She was a ceramics instructor at the Paramount Arts Center in St. Cloud from 1998-2012. She also spread her love of art through her teaching positions: running figure drawing classes for the St. John’s and St. Ben’s community, summer art kids camps at St. John’s, K-12 Educator workshops at the Paramount and other various art workshops and guest speaking appearances.

She is preceded in death by her brother Daniel Carlson (Chokio).

She is survived by her parents Lauren Carlson (Chokio), Barb Eide and her husband Jerry Eide (MT), her siblings: Louis Carlson (OR), Thomas Carlson (St. Joseph), Anne Stahn (St. Paul), Katie Bergstrom (St. Paul), Peter Carlson (Minnestrista) and Molly Carlson (Wayzata), her children: Jessica Cotton (HI), Robin Cotton (Minneapolis), Lauren Cotton (St. Cloud), Daniel Cotton (Cold Spring) and her granddaughters Evelyn Cotton and Wiley Rupp.

Lisa tragically suffered from an unknown type of early onset dementia and passed away on March 31st at the age of 58 in hospice care at Ecumen Prairie Lodge in Brooklyn Center, MN.

She represented the ultimate Earth Mother to so many. Her legacy of LOVE lives on: Love of the Earth, Love of Art, Love of Life.

Charitable contributions can be made in memory of Lisa Carlson to Brain Support Network, P.O. Box 7264, Menlo Park, CA 94026 www.brainsupportnetwork.org

A Celebration of Life Memorial and Art Show will take place this summer.