Ronnie Dean Carlson

Dec 17, 1957 -

Nov 30, 2021

Ron Carlson, affectionately known as Ernie, passed away on Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021, during a hiking accident near Kincaid Park.

Ron was born in Deadwood, S.D., to R. Lee Roy Carlson and Jeanne (Viken) Carlson. He was the oldest of five children. As a child he lived in Spearfish, S.D., and for a short period of time in Medford, Ore. Upon graduation from Spearfish High School, he attended South Dakota State University in Brookings, S.D., and the University of Arizona in Tucson, Ariz. In May 1984, he completed his education at the School of Mines and Technology in Rapid City, S.D., with a Bachelor of Science degree in geological engineering and a minor in mining engineering.

Ron married Darla Jean Anderson of Rapid City on Aug. 11, 1984, in Rapid City. They then traveled to Seattle, Wash., took the Alaska Marine Highway ferry to Haines, Alaska, and drove the highway to Anchorage, where they made their home for the past 37 years. They welcomed three children: Ryan, Ashley and Jake.

Ron was well-known in the construction industry around Alaska. He was a man of high integrity and extreme work ethic. Ron's career began at Pittsburgh Test Lab in Anchorage, in May 1984. In 1986, he began work at ALAGCO as the Quality Control Manager. He was recruited to Anchorage Sand & Gravel in 1992, where he managed numerous divisions such as the block plant, ready mix plant, cement and aggregate divisions. In 2008, he took his final position at Quality Asphalt Paving (QAP/AGGPRO) as AGGPRO Operations Manager. Ron retired from QAP on June 1, 2018.

Ron had an active and adventurous spirit, from hang gliding and water skiing in his younger years to weightlifting, playing racquetball, hiking mountains, gold detecting and fishing in Alaska. His true passion was hunting bear and moose all around the state of Alaska. He had his "secret" Alaska hiking, fishing and hunting spots, which he would not easily reveal. Along with his father, brother and friends, Ron built the family cabin which overlooks the Matanuska Glacier. Ron and Darla were looking forward to snowbirding this winter near Tucson.

Ron readily made friends and connections with those he met. He had a hilarious sense of humor, an infectious personality and always had a story to share.

Ron was preceded in death by his sister, Deb Stenger; infant brother, Randall; stepfather, Bill Glessner; and paternal and maternal grandparents. Ron is survived by his wife, Darla; mother, Jeanne Glessner; father, Lee Carlson (Sharon); sister, LeAnn (Randy) Rosenau; brother, Dan (Dawn) Carlson; children, Ryan (Julia Freihardt), Ashley (Andrew Treptow) and Jake (Alyssa Culver); two grandchildren, Spencer and Oliver; and extended family members. Ron was expecting a new granddaughter in April 2022.

A Celebration of Ron's Life will be held on Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021, at 4 p.m., at McKenna Brothers Paving, 8001 Petersburg Street in Anchorage.