Pastor Anna-Lisa Carlson, 66, of Bettendorf, Iowa passed away on April 15th, 2023, with her niece and best friend by her side at The Ivy in Davenport, Iowa. Born on January 3rd, 1957, Pastor Carlson attended St. Katherine's, The Villa, and graduated from Rock Island High School. She went on to Mankato State University where she joined the Gamma Phi Beta Sorority and the Women's Swimming Team. Pastor Carlson then went on to graduate from Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Minnesota with a major in Religion. She also attended Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary and was later Ordained in the Universal Life Church.

Pastor Carlson was very active in youth ministry. She was Director of the West Side Girls and Boys Club in West St. Paul, Minnesota, and then Director of the St. Paul Girls Club in St. Paul, Minnesota. Both were affiliates of The Girls and Boys Club of America through the Union Gospel Mission. She was also Junior League Youth Director at Newport Lutheran Church in Newport, Minnesota.

Throughout her life, Pastor Carlson was active in counseling people as a Facilitator for self-help groups. Psychology was more than a passing interest. She studied it in college as well as attending many Facilitator training seminars over the years. It was a passion of hers to help people throughout her entire life.

In February 2001, Pastor Carlson left her beloved Minnesota to return to Rock Island as she felt it was time for her to come home and spend time with her family. Her passion for helping people did not end there. She took various jobs in the Quad Cities over the years wherever she believed she could help people the most. She also found a new family of friends here and was thankful for the good people that God had brought into her life.

Pastor Carlson became a member of the Bettendorf Chamber of Commerce, was a part of the Government Affairs Committee, and became a member of the Symphony of Bloom Garden Club. She was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church in Rock Island and most recently had become a devoted member of the St. James Lutheran Church in Bettendorf, Iowa.

Pastor Carlson was preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Elly Carlson, Jr., her great-nephew Kaydon Carlson, and her beloved dog Shadow. All of whom she is now reunited with in Heaven while sporting the purple hair that she had wished for.

Pastor Carlson is survived by her brother Henry "Rick" Carlson III of Milan, IL, her uncle Hans Hibe of Lund, Sweden, her nieces Michelle (Daniel) Ballin of Williamsburg, VA and Connie Carlson of Milan, IL, her great-niece Kara Carlson of Reynolds, IL, her cousin Per Hibe of Lund, Sweden, her grandsons Xavier Owen-Holst, Xander Owen-Holst, and Xion Owen-Holst of Coralville, IA, her best friend Maggie Bayliss of Davenport, IA, and her beloved dog Sadie.

In lieu of flowers, Pastor Carlson asked that memorial donations be sent to the Quad Cities Animal Recovery Team, an organization run by her niece, Connie, in which she supported and was so proud of.

Visitation will be held from 4:00-7:00pm Thursday at Wheelan Pressly Funeral Home at 3030 7th Avenue, Rock Island. Funeral services will be held 10:30 Friday at St. James Lutheran Church at 1705 Oak Street, Bettendorf. Burial services will follow the funeral service at Rock Island Memorial Park Cemetery.

A special thank you to Kelsey, Jamie, and all of the staff at The Ivy for their amazing support and extraordinary love and care of Pastor Anna-Lisa Carlson during her last few months of life. She truly cared for and loved all of you.