Paul M. Charlson

Paul Marlin Charlson, age 81, of Clear Lake, Iowa, passed away on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at Good Shepherd Health Center following a courageous battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

A celebration of Paul’s life will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church, 213 N Pennsylvania Ave at a later date.

Paul was born on July 12, 1944, in Scarville, Iowa, to Clifford and Marie (Leegaard) Charlson. He graduated from Lake Mills High School in 1962 and went on to earn a degree in Mechanical Engineering through the University of Minnesota/IBM work-study program, after attending Mason City Junior College.

On July 31, 1965, Paul was united in marriage to Mary Sedgwick at Salem Lutheran Church in Lake Mills, Iowa. Together, they made their home in Rochester, Minnesota, for more than 40 years. Paul built a distinguished career with IBM and Hitachi, retiring after four decades as Director of HDD System Integration and Test.

During his years in Rochester, Paul was deeply involved in his community. He served on the Board of Directors for the Southeast Minnesota Private Industry Council and contributed his time and leadership to numerous boards and task forces within the Rochester School District and Gloria Dei Lutheran Church.

After retiring, Paul and Mary moved to Clear Lake, Iowa, where he became an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Mason City. He served as congregation president and participated on various boards and committees. Paul was also a dedicated volunteer with Habitat for Humanity of North Central Iowa, where he served as board president, and at the state level as board secretary for Habitat for Humanity of Iowa.

In retirement, Paul found great joy in volunteering, spending time with family and friends, and golfing—especially at Rice Lake Golf and Country Club and during winters in Arizona.

Paul is survived by his wife, Mary of Clear Lake; his children, Laura Loberg of Mendota Heights, Minnesota; Sara (Mark Schonhoff) Charlson of Kansas City, Missouri; and Michael Charlson of Atlanta, Georgia; and his grandchildren, Luke Frazier of New York City; Will Frazier of Mendota Heights, Minnesota; Todd (Emily) Schonhoff of Prairie Village, Kansas; and Keith Schonhoff of Kansas City, Missouri. He is also survived by special friends Rafael Santana of Atlanta, Georgia, and Dave Frazier of Lakeville, Minnesota; his sisters, Ruth Gilbert of Mankato, Minnesota, and Linda Vernon of Sauk Rapids, Minnesota; as well as many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Curtis Charlson; and his sisters, Mavis Cox, Delores Trytten, Karen Felter, Leona McFarlane, and Judy Walder.

The family extends a heartfelt thank you to the compassionate staff at Good Shepherd Memory Care Unit for the exceptional care and kindness they showed Paul during his final months.

Memorials may be directed to Trinity Lutheran Church or Habitat for Humanity of North Central Iowa.

Fittingly, the words beneath Paul’s senior yearbook photo still resonate: “Despite all the glory, the helmet still fits.”