Rex Wilfred Carlson

Rex Carlson, 74, of Cleveland, Missouri passed away September 20, 2023.

Visitation will be held from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, Tuesday, September 26, 2023, at Dengel & Son Mortuary - Louisburg Chapel, 1 Aquatic Dr., Louisburg, Kansas 66053. Funeral service will be held at 10:00 am, Wednesday, September 27, 2023, at Westline Christian Church, 300 Main St., Westline, Missouri 64734. Burial to follow at Glenwild Cemetery, Cleveland, Missouri, with military honors provided by the Louisburg VFW post 7348 and American Legion post 250.

Rex was the oldest of four children born to Paul and Clariece Carlson. He is survived by his six children, Melissa (Billy) Harris, Wendy (Doug) Duncan, David (Danielle) Carlson, Dale Carlson, Karen (Orion) Kling and Erin (Justin) Villarreal, two sisters, Sherran (Larry) Wooden and Marilyn Carlson, 16 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. He is proceeded in death by his father, Paul Carlson, and his mother, Clariece Carlson, and one sister, Janet (Carlson) Koch.

Rex was a proud farmer and rock quarry owner. His passion for farming began at an early age when working with his dad on the Carlson family farm. He loved the seasons of planting and harvesting, the work of caring for the cattle, and the independence of being his own boss. Rex passed his love for farming on to his eldest son, David. Together they expanded their farming operation and ran the West Line Rock Quarry located on Rex’s farm.

Rex enjoyed all sports, competing in baseball, basketball and football during his school years, and frequently initiated softball and basketball competitions with his sisters when growing up. Their games often evolved into fierce battles for bragging rights for the winners, seeding his strong will and fighting spirit. Rex was a hard worker, rarely taking time away from the farm. However, he always looked forward to summer travel to visit his Nebraska cousins.

Rex was an airplane mechanic in the Airforce during the Vietnam War and returned to farming after his discharge. He considered himself very fortunate to be able to pursue his dream of becoming a farmer. He loved his work and took great joy in watching his crops mature, firing up the irrigation system, cultivating the weeds, and then regularly checking the size of the kernels and ears on his corn. If you happened to run into Rex when his corn was maturing, you would likely get a look at his freshly picked ear of corn, followed by him giving you an update on the expected yield.

Rex was a long-time member of the Westline Christian Church. He was a loving father and enjoyed spending time with his children, especially if time spent was accompanied by a home-cooked meal prepared by one of his children or their spouse. Rex was showered by love during his final weeks, with his six children by his side. Rex will be remembered for his kindness and passion for farming.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made payable to Westline Christian Church, c/o Dengel & Son Mortuary, P.O. Box 669, Louisburg, Kansas 66053.