Carlene May Erlandson

Carlene May Erlandson passed away peacefully with her family by her side, March 5, 2025, in Libby, Montana. 

She was born in Lewistown, Montana on March 14, 1939, to Jeanette Pearl Wareham and Sterling Roy Shaw. She was adopted in 1941 by James J. McDonald when her mother married him. Carlene attended school in Lewistown and graduated from Fergus County High School in 1957. Throughout her high school years, she worked for the Rogers Jewelry Store, pleasing many customers and thoroughly enjoying her work.

At a family reunion in Lewiston, Montana, in the summer of 1957, Carlene met Oscar “Bud” Erlandson, Jr. The two fell in love and were married in Lewistown on Oct. 6, 1957; after which Carlene moved to Libby, where Bud was employed by the J. Neils Lumber Company. 

Making their home on Wisconsin Avenue near the mill, they welcomed their first child, Kathleen Marie in 1958 and two years later, their second child, Joel Leonard.

In the early fall of 1964, Carlene and Bud moved to a new house on Indian Head Road in Woodway Park, which would become their home for six decades. Carlene was always quick to say their down payment was made by completing all the painting and staining, inside and out, themselves. In 1968, they welcomed two more children to their family through adoption, Dolly Rae and Clifford James.

In addition to homemaking and child rearing, Carlene worked full time outside the home, working her way up from janitor to dental assistant in Theodore Pacheco’s family dental practice. She later worked for Jean Seifert in her fabric shop and for many years at J.C. Penney.

Carlene also enjoyed spending time with her many friends and families camping along the beautiful lakes around Northwestern Montana. She enjoyed showing the kids the beauty of nature such as what you could find lying under the rocks and in the trees.

As an active and integral member of Christ Lutheran Church, Carlene coordinated Sunday School and Vacation Bible School; taught various classes, Bible studies, and retreats; created liturgical banners for the sanctuary; and directed the annual decoration of the church tree for Christmas. 

Most recently, even as her health was beginning to fail, she co-chaired a year-long calendar of events to celebrate the church’s 100th Anniversary. Carlene also enjoyed traveling on service/mission trips out of Montana to help others in need.

Throughout Carlene’s life her creative spirit thrived. In high school, she earned a letter as a Thespian for her work in costume design and set properties and developed expertise as a seamstress in her Home Economics classes. She continued to finely hone and diversify her talent as a seamstress, venturing into the world of tailoring. For many years she sewed/tailored most of her family’s clothing and she taught these skills in Libby’s Community Education program. 

Carlene’s artistic endeavors also included ceramics, oil painting, watercolor, tole painting, and Rosemaling. She pursued each of these undertakings robustly; installing a kiln in the basement, taking classes from local artists and participating in local art shows.

Her creativity and love for fabric took her in many directions including what became a decades-long passion for quilting. Beginning as a student learning the craft, Carlene ascended to become a leader in local and regional quilting circles. 

She was a member of the Kootenai Valley Quilting Guild and was honored as quilter of the year in 1993. She taught numerous quilting classes in Libby over the years. In retirement, she launched Patterns in Tradition, which became a thriving small business with the help of her own Gammill long-arm machine installed in the studio she and Bud created in their basement.

Carlene and Bud were active supporters of Libby’s Nordic Fest and they were honored as Queen and King in 2003. Later in life, Carlene learned the Scandinavian art of Hardanger, as well as the art of Brazilian embroidery. True to form, she became quite adept at both and her talent was recognized through local and regional awards. Carlene taught Hardanger classes, enjoying many hours of comradery with others at Devi McCully’s Frames Unlimited in downtown Libby.

Throughout her life in Libby, Carlene’s service and talents were highlighted in the local newspaper. One editorial was entitled Community lucky to have talented Carlene Erlandson. Carlene was very proud of living in Libby and was always eager to be of service to it. She volunteered as a Girl Scout leader, an Elderhostel teacher, and taught generations of Libby residents to sew, quilt, and Hardanger. She annually shared her passion for history and quilting with local middle school students, helping them learn about how quilts were used to communicate secret messages and maps aiding enslaved people to access the Underground Railroad on their path to freedom.

Carlene was a loving spouse, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. Her family was truly blessed to have her in their lives and so, too, was her community.

Carlene was preceded in death by her husband Oscar (Bud); her parents; her brother Clifford McDonald; and her sister Mary (Sonny) Comes. She is survived by her daughter Kathleen Parrett (William) of Kalispell, Montana; son Joel Erlandson (Anna) of Libby, Montana; daughter Dolly Erlandson of Billings, Montana; son Clifford Erlandson of Kalispell, Montana; her four grandchildren, Nathan Johnson (Lindsey) Gig Harbor, Washington; Katrina Zenkert (AJ) of Nantucket, Massashusetts; Tyler Erlandson of Libby, Montana; and Gabriel (Kyndra) Elmore of Billings, Montana; as well as eight great-grandchildren Lukas, Kennedy, Adelaide, Finnigan, Nathan, Sam, McKinley and Rowan.

She is also survived by her brothers Jim McDonald (Alice) of Choteau, Montana; and Michael Brown of Great Falls, Montana.

Carlene’s memorial service will be held at Christ Lutheran Church in Libby at 11 a.m. Friday, July 11.

Arrangements are under the care of Schnackenberg Funeral Home of Libby. Online condolences and memories may be shared at www.schnackenbergfh.com. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Christ Lutheran Church in Carlene’s memory.