John Gustaf Carlson

After a long and full life, John Carlson passed away on November 16 in Carlsbad, California at the age of 93. He is survived by his five children, John R. Carlson, Richard Carlson, William Carlson, Christine Milich, and Karen Robertson. Additionally, John leaves behind eleven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
John was born in Chicago, Illinois in October of 1926, the youngest of three children and the only son of Swedish immigrants. His cherished his Swedish heritage and grew up surrounded by its culture and traditions. His summer visits to the family farm in Sweden produced some of his fondest memories.
At an early age, John developed a love for music and went on to become an accomplished violinist. Classical music played a large part in his adult life. His family remembers how much he looked forward to bringing out his violin at Christmas to play carols for his audience of children and grandchildren.
While attending high school at North Park Academy in Chicago, John met his future wife, Helen Olson, also the child of Swedish immigrants. They were to be married on her birthday in 1949.
Northwestern University was where John earned undergraduate and Master's degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Business. His time at Northwestern was interrupted when chose to serve his country by enlisting in the Navy during WWII.
In 1950, John and his new bride left Chicago for California to allow him to pursue a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at U.C.L.A. After earning his doctorate, he worked for several years as a consultant. In 1960, John left private industry to begin his teaching career at Stanford University. He accepted a position at the University of Southern California in the Graduate School of Business in 1963, teaching Operations Management. John subsequently moved his growing family to Arcadia, California where he lived for 44 years. He was loved by his students and worked hard to develop strong relationships with them, often inviting them into his home. Throughout his career at USC, he was invited to participate in numerous speaking engagements throughout Europe, Asia, and South America. These experiences fostered his love of travel. John also developed a passion for woodworking. He derived particular joy from making gifts for his children and grandchildren each Christmas. Additionally, classic cars held a lifelong interest for John.
One of the people John admired most in his life was his own father. He longed to emulate the strong work ethic, perseverance, and pride in a job well done his father possessed. John would be honored to know these are the very qualities he will be remembered for as well.