Obituary of Elizabeth Katherine Carlson

ELIZABETH (BETTY) KATHERINE HARMS was born on August 28, 1929, to Elsie and George Harms, in Chicago, Illinois. She had an older brother, John, and a younger brother, David. As a "PK" (preacher's kid) she grew up in Saskatoon, Canada, Montana, and Northern California. She graduated from Stanford with a BS in nursing. After graduation she became the San Francisco area director for the Navigators women's work. She later worked as an operating room nurse in Fresno and at Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital. She married Dwight Carlson in 1958 and continued working as a nurse in hospitals and as a school nurse, putting Dwight through medical school. In 1964 they moved to Orange County and later to Torrance, California. During the years Dwight practiced psychiatry, she did his billing and bookkeeping. Betty was active leading women's Bible studies and mentoring women at Rolling Hills Covenant Church for a number of decades. Her honesty and genuineness as she sought to integrate Christian teaching, the study of the Bible, and her personal experience had a profound impact on many. For about the last five years in Torrance, Betty enjoyed tutoring foreign elementary school children and working with English-learners in the adult education program, helping them better understand our culture. Dwight and Betty moved to the Samarkand Retirement Community in 2006. For several years she tutored women at the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission. She is survived by her husband, Dwight, her children, Susan Carlson Wood and Greg Carlson, a grandchild, Charissa Wood, and numerous nieces and nephews. Arrangements entrusted to McDermott-Crockett Mortuary.