May 16, 1955 - August 29, 2015
Michael Carlson, 60, of Spokane, WA, passed away peacefully in his home surrounded by family on August 29, 2015. Born in Minneapolis - St. Paul, Minnesota on May 16, 1955, Mike lived most of his life in Spokane. He spent six years in California where he met his wife of 24 years, Lianne Carlson (Edwards). Her Goldilocks hair first attracted him, but he quickly realized she was the one God put on the earth for him to love. As a special bonus to Mike, marrying Lianne gave him a ready-made family whom he embraced and raised as his own. Mike knew he wanted to be an auto mechanic since he was 10. This dream was cemented during his many cruises down Riverside Boulevard as a young man. After graduating from North Central High School in 1973, Mike made his dream a reality. Going on to earn the ASE and Honda Gold Level Master Technician and competing in the National Honda Top Tech Contest six years in a row. He owned Carlson Repair and Service for 19 years, where his desire to provide the best service won him many loyal customers. His passion for cars extended to several hotrod and motorcycle rebuilding projects. His all-time pride and joy was the 1950 Nash he restored. Mike spent many years traveling and attending car shows with the Nash--until he discovered golf. Afterwards, he could often be found walking his way through a round of golf at one of the local courses. However, Mike's greatest walk was as a servant of Christ, whom he loved above all things. He demonstrated this by sharing Jesus with all he met--in prayer and in helping hands. He was loyal and hardworking and could fix anything. Mike loved his family and friends and enjoyed spending time with them. They were often the recipients of his sarcastic wit and non-stop arsenal of corny jokes. This earned him the title of "The King of Corn." He created a lifetime of memories with family and friends. He will be deeply missed. Mike is preceded in death by his mother Eleanor Peterson; stepfather Allen Peterson; sister Linnea (Carlson) Reuthinger; and son Jeremy Groom. He is survived by the love of his life Lianne; daughters, Jaycee (Kirk) Killian, and Jenna (James) Carter; son Bryan Kleinschmidt; 13 grandchildren; and numerous extended family members. A Celebration of Mike's Life will be held 6:30 September 4th at Life Center Church on Government Way.
