Dr. Kenneth Paul Carlson DDS, age, 81, of Clinton, Iowa, passed away Thursday February 27, 2025, in hospice care. It was his wish that cremation rites will be accorded. No services are planned at this time. Pape Funeral Home is assisting the family.
Kenneth was born on June 7, 1943 in Moline, Illinois, to Ruth and Lawrence Carlson. He was a second generation Swedish-American and proud of his heritage. In his early years he was a Boy Scout, and making Eagle Scout was his proudest accomplishment. He attended Moline High School. In high school he ran track which garnered him a full scholarship to Northwestern University in the fall of 1962, but ultimately graduating from the University of Iowa with a Bachelor of Science degree 1966. He continued on to receive his Doctor of Dental Surgery at the University of Iowa in 1968. He was a lifelong Hawkeyes fan and Member of the American Dental Association, and enjoyed attending the organization’s annual conventions.
He married his first wife, Patricia L Carlson, in 1962 and settled in Clinton to open his solo dental practice in 1968. Following a divorce in 1972, he married Carol Ann Kennedy Carlson in 1975. In Carol, Ken found a lifelong companion until she passed away in October of 2020. They worked in his dental office together, hosted biannual Kennedy family gatherings, golfed, gardened, fished and traveled. Ken and Carol enjoyed building a life and community of friends in Clinton. He rooted himself in the community through his involvement with the River Boat Days committee, the Gyro’s club and the Clinton Trees Forever program.
Ken was preceded in death by his first wife Patricia, his second wife Carol and his stepson William Waller and his only sibling, Rev. Philip Carlson. He is survived by his two children, Kirstin Todd (Paul), Kenneth Paul Carlson Jr. (Ann) and, two granddaughters.