Virginia “Ginny” (née Sullivan) Carlson passed away peacefully on March 24, 2023, after a short battle with cancer. She was 81. Her last months were full of stories shared with friends and family. She gave advice and joked to the end, going as far as convincing people she turned 80 this year.
She grew up in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, as the middle child of five and graduated from the University of Wisconsin. Professionally she was a woman at the frontier of the computer field and embraced technology her whole life. She grew up in an amazing family that enabled her to become the intelligent curious person she was.
Ginny lived her life voraciously. She lived in: Minneapolis; Chicago; Seattle and Olympia, Washington; Romania; and Albuquerque, New Mexico, prior to moving to Moab, Utah, in 2000. She spent her summers in Oshkosh with her family.
Her husband, Jim Carlson, predeceased her in 2013. During their 45 years of marriage, they lived a rich and rewarding life.
After the loss of her beloved husband, Ginny reinvented herself and continued to live life to the fullest with new friends she’d meet nearly on a weekly basis. She loved to help people, hike, and be near the ocean. Ginny traveled the world, often months at a time, and took great pleasure in meeting people and hearing their stories. She was humble and caring towards all people she met, often sharing meals and time with unique people all over the globe.
Prior to her illness, she spent 2 months in Indonesia snorkeling, which had become her favorite thing to do over the past years. She told everyone new and old after learning of the illness: “don’t wait, explore and do things you want now, because you never know.”
Ginny is the beloved mother of John (Jen) and Sharon Mason (John) and grandmother of Zack and Rachel Mason. She is also survived by her sisters, Nancy Klobas (the late John), Barbara Walker (the late Bob), Peggy (Bill) Riemer; and brother, Jack. Numerous nieces and nephews along with their spouses and children will miss their “Aunt Ginny.”
There will be celebrations of Ginny’s life held in Moab, Olympia and Oshkosh over the course of the next few months.
A special thanks to their many friends and relatives who helped both Ginny and John navigate the past few months. Hats off to all the doctors and staff at the Huntsman Center; nursing staff and aides at Canyonlands Care Center in Moab, Utah; and her extraordinary doctor, Dr. Ken Williams.
Please remember Ginny by writing or etching her name on a rock and leaving it on a hike or someplace that has special meaning to you.
Memorial contributions may be made to: Moab Multicultural Center (moabmc.org), Life Net Nature (lifenetnature.org), Global Pearls (globalpearls.org), Canyonlands Care Center (canyonlandscarecenter.com), or to your local food bank.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.SpanishValleyMortuary.com.
