Harlan Lloyd Carlson, age 76, left this life peacefully on Sunday, October 17, 2010, at the Burke Community Memorial Hospital. Harlan was born August 23, 1934 to Lloyd and Emma (Welfl) Carlson. He was born the 4th of 9 children.
After high school Harlan worked for neighbors at harvest time. While working on the Hitchcock farm he met Joyce Sanden, who was also working there. They dated for 3 years, marrying on April 8, 1956, enjoying 54 loving and adventurous years together. Harlan took a job on a ranch near Burton, NE for 2 years, then rented a home near his parents. Harlan and Joyce farmed together there for 7 years and soon purchased their own farm near Herrick where they lived and raised their family for the next 41 years. Throughout his life Harlan was devoted to being a good steward of the land building a stock dam, dugout, planting alfalfa and fixing miles of fencetransforming the property into a successful and vibrant diversified dairy operation. He was commended for his visionary conservation practices, being a progressive and devoted farmer.
The hog barn burned in spring of 1980 and they moved an old building to the site and continued the diversified operation. During the years 2 droughts occurred at different times forcing the sale of beef cattle. Dairy cattle kept the operation going but in 1986 the milk barn burned. With help from neighbors the cows were moved to Bob and Claudia Sangsters farm where Harlan and Joyce milked for the next 6 months while the new Grade A barn was built.
Harlan was a member of the School Board, County Weed Board, served on various church boards, Masonic Lodge of Herrick and Burke, as well as being sexton of the Herrick Cemetery Association for many years.
In September 1999 Harlan and Joyce retired and moved 3 miles west of Burke where Harlan planted and maintained various trees, gardened and enjoyed operating farm machinery for his neighbor, Clark Horn.
Harlan enjoyed traveling, not only to visit their children, but he and Joyce enjoyed a couple of Alaskan cruises, 3 trips to Mexico, a special 40th Anniversary celebration hosted by their children, then a 50th Anniversary trip to Colorado with immediate family. A special joy of Harlans was hosting and organizing an annual family pheasant hunt for 16 years, sometimes with up to 70 people joining in.
Harlan was preceded in death by his parents and sister Marilyn. Survivors grateful for having loved him are Joyce, his devoted wife of 54 years; 4 children, Cheryl and husband Mike Garcia of Albuquerque, NM; Sandra and husband Greg Wick of Rapid City, SD and sons David of Phoenix, AZ and Steven at home in Rapid City; Myron and wife Cathy Carlson of Carlisle, IA and daughter Danielle of Omaha, NE, and Kevin of Ames, IA; and Laurie and husband Jeff Bartling of Burke with daughter Rachel and Clint Hitchcock and their sons John and Hunter; Andrew Bartling of Rapid City, SD; and Adam Bartling of Mitchell, SD. Siblings include Lowell and wife Alice of Chamberlain, SD, Carl and wife Erna of Vermillion, SD, Everett and wife Cheri of Burke, SD, Marilyn, (deceased) and husband Gayle of Sequim, WA, Bob and wife Lana of Norfolk, NE, Emily and husband Keith Larson of Bellevue, NE, JoAnn and husband Randy (deceased) of Omaha, NE and Lloyd and wife Carol of Rayville, MO. Also surviving are a host of nieces, nephews, beloved friends and neighbors.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, October 21, 2010 at 10:30 AM at the United Methodist Church in Burke. Burial will be in the Herrick Cemetery, Herrick, SD. There will be a prayer service on Wednesday at 7:00 PM at the Church. Visitation will be one hour prior to both services at the Church.