Obituary of Ruby P. Carlson

Ruby Pauline Holmquist was born on September 20, 1914 to Paul and Anna Holmquist. She was the fifth of six children: Vernon, Bernice, Leona, Vida, Ruby, and Florence. They grew up on a family farm north of Haxtun, Colorado. After Ruby graduated, she went to college for two years in Greeley, while working for a family to earn her room and board. Ruby’s father bought a property with a large house and barn, formerly a stagecoach stop and horse racing track, southwest of Byers, and moved the family there. Although she didn’t graduate from “teacher’s college,” Ruby taught for a few years at a small school in the Byers area, where she met and married Robert E. Carlson (Bob) on August 17, 1941. They said their vows and had a reception after the Sunday service at Byers Presbyterian Church. Bob and Ruby raised their four children on a farm near the Holmquists until 1955, when they moved to the Arvada/Broomfield area. They returned to Byers in 1958 and took over the farm that had belonged to Bob’s parents, George and Bertha Carlson. After Burt and Helen graduated, they returned to the Arvada area and later moved to Ft. Lupton. Eventually they returned to Byers and then lived in Strasburg for 20 years, where Bob passed away on February 9, 2011. After Bob's death, Ruby decided to move to Torrington, Wyoming to be near their son Frank and his family. She truly enjoyed the last ten years of her long life at Evergreen Court, with so many friendly residents and her family nearby. She was lovingly called “The Queen Bee” by some. She peacefully departed this earth on August 27, 2021. In three weeks she would have reached her 107th birthday! Ruby is survived by her four children, Burt (Mary) Carlson of Franktown, CO; Helen (David) Sheats of West Palm Beach, FL; Dorothy MacDonald (Joel, deceased) of Clarksboro, NJ; and Frank (Jane) of Lyman, NE. She and Bob were blessed with 17 grandchildren and 40 great-grandchildren! Ruby lived a full and blessed life, and we will miss her!