Ernest Fredrick Carlson
17 April 1954 – 14 August 2020
The world is a little sadder place with the passing of Ernie Carlson, 66, on August 14, 2020. He was born in Circle on April 17, 1954 and grew up on Prairie Elk, attending Prairie Elk School and graduating from Circle High School in 1972. From his youngest days, his musical talent and genuine interest in people made him a friend of many. His ready smile and wave will be missed in the Circle community and beyond.
As a young man, Ernie worked for the Circle Elevator, the county road crew, and Cenex before farming and ranching on Prairie Elk from 1985 to 2005. He loved sustainable agriculture, farming organically long before it was popular and building an intensive grazing system on the rangeland. His sweet clover fields were visible for miles, and his pasture raised pigs were the tastiest around.
Ernie started a roofing company in the late 90s, and for the last 20 years of his life traveled all over the state doing commercial and residential roofing. If you stand on a high hill over pretty much any eastern Montana town, you will see his white Conklin roofs gleaming in the sun. As a boss, he earned the greatest respect and loyalty from his crews. He began each workday with a visit in the yard and somehow had a way of turning mistakes into learning opportunities and making hard work seem fun.
Ernie was curious and creative about much more than agriculture and roofing, reading and studying a wide variety of topics throughout his life. A conversation with him could move seamlessly from history to politics to psychology to nutrition. He genuinely cared about people and never had a shallow conversation, even with a stranger he had just met.
From childhood, Ernie honed and shared his musical gifts. He began playing the fiddle at age 5 and the guitar as a teenager. By the time he reached adulthood, he was a champion fiddler, winning many a fiddling contest, including the Championship Division of the Montana State Old Time Fiddler’s Contest in 1978. In spite of those early accomplishments, he considered the last five years of his life to be his best and richest musically. In 2015, he had a devastating heart attack, and in 2018 he lost his son Lee to cancer. Out of those struggles flowed around 25 original songs describing his experiences with loss and joy and gratitude and faith. Some are light and humorous, others profoundly deep. All of them capture some aspect of a life well-lived.
For all of his accomplishments musically and professionally, Ernie’s greatest impact will always be in the way he loved people, especially his kids. His son Lee described him as a gifted father, always looking to foster and encourage the best parts of people, always looking out for the best interest of others without any agenda of his own. He leaves behind a lasting legacy of unconditional love, evidence of his whole-hearted, authentic way of living.
Throughout his life, Ernie made and kept friends far and wide, remembering the names of literally everyone he ever met. He will be loved and missed forever, remembered for his songs and stories and open, honest way of being. He is survived by his mother Pearl Nickels, brothers Robin and Brad Carlson and Todd Wagner, stepson Shanon Moline, daughter Linzy Carlson, and granddaughters Guildy, Hadley, Talby, and Paisley. He was preceded by his father Bill Carlson and son Lee Carlson.
A memorial service for Ernie will be held Sunday September 6th at 2:00 p.m. at the Circle football field. Please observe any social distancing and mask mandates that may be in effect.
Service Schedule
Service Schedule
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Larry Cornelia says
You will be missed friend rest well now enjoy making music with your son
Troy and JoDee Hess says
Godspeed Ernie! We will miss your smile and encouraging words! We have so many “Conklin” memories. See you on the other side!
Mike and Lessa Sukut says
To a friend, great guy and classmate from a lifetime ago. RIP Ernie. Our thoughts and prayers to the family.
JAMES ATKINOSN says
Shocking to hear of the passing of Ernie. Met him at the McCone County Fair back in the day. High school classmates for four years. Lots of tournaments and laughs. Still carry the scar of being spiked in football from Ernie. Rough go and loss. God bless Ernie’s family!
Diane (Shamley) Ligon says
I am so sorry to read of Ernie’s passing. I have very fond memories of growing up on Prairie Elk with him. He always has such a wonderful laugh! Prayers to all his family.
Joe Drivdahl says
I’m completely shocked and saddened. I didn’t know Ernie long or well but I was looking forward to playing music with him again. He recently posted a song he wrote. I had no idea there was anything wrong. My best regards to his family.
Don Benson says
Ernie is a great friend to all who know him! I have known Ernie for more than 20 years through his Conklin business. Ernie has many friends across the USA. Ernie will be sorely missed by all of his many Conklin friends!
Pat Breitbach says
Rest in peace my friend
Mary & James Nagle says
Ernie was truly a talented unique personality. We always enjoyed visiting with him and listening to him sing. He will be great missed!
Aaron Morlock says
I was honored to learn from him, thank you Ernie for giving so much of yourself to me as I learned your craft. A true musician, a bottomless talent. He will always be in the highest esteem in my heart. I mourn with all who mourn for Ernie.
Louise Twitchchell says
RIP..Start a fiddle session with the old ones.
Suzette Wagner says
You were a BEAUTIFUL soul and Im a better person for knowing you. Thank you for EVERYTHING . Circle will be a little less sunny. I’LL NEVER FORGET YOU.
Karen and clay taylor says
Ernie I knew you since about the mid 60s when the Collins family played music and I was dating Mike. You had that awesome voice , tremendous music such an awesome friend and down to earth person always there for everyone .if they have services for you I hope we don’t have to miss them because we’re at work a long ways away rest in peace dear friend
Pam Curtiss says
RIP Ernie, you will be dearly missed here. I can just see the big smile on your face when you seen Lee again.
Diana & Floyd Yarger says
Ernie, you will be missed in our community….So RIP, our friend…am sure music will be playing, when you & Lee are together..
Kenny Lars Slagsvold says
so sorry, what a Good guy, good friend, and Good person. you always added So much to the band when we played music together. you all be Missed buy everyone!
Julie Straub says
To the Carlson family,
I am deeply sorry for your loss. Ernie was an amazing man and musician. His smile lit up the room! A year ago he honored my family by playing at our dad’s funeral. Later that evening he sat with us around a fire, playing and singing. His voice, passion, and talent brought happiness at a time of such sadness and I will be forever grateful. My thoughts and prayers are with you all as celebrate Ernie’s life and yet mourn his loss. May the Holy Spirt, the Divine Comforter, bring you all peace, consolation, and strength during this difficult time.
Peggy and Chuck Nerud says
We are so sorry to hear about Ernie. His music brought us and all around him happiness and his cheerfulness always made you feel good. I will always remember the poem he wrote for me and the piglet he brought in for ‘kiss a pig’. He made things Extra special.
Debra Steffani Irving says
What a guy! Ernie was such a bright spot in the day. He will be sorely missed.
Our thoughts are with his family and friends.
Deb
Dorthy M Ley says
My Goodness what a huge blow to here you have past Ernie, our last words we’re about me getting beat up on Facebook. I will remember playing music with you my friend. RIP & play a tune for you with Orvie. Hugs & prayers to his family, he was a great person.
Laura Dreyer Bleazard says
I was saddened to hear of Ernie’s passing. He was a special guy with his quiet manner and he could bring a smile to everyone’s face with his fiddle. Imagine what he brings to heaven’s choir. Keeping you all in our prayers.
Laurie Neubauer says
I am so very sorry for your loss 💔. What a talented man he was! I grew up in the Prairie Elk community and I remember so well…. that ever loving fiddle and Ernie’s voice🙏❤️. God bless you all as you walk this long path of grief💔🙏❤️💔🙏❤️.
Jackie Boysun says
Ernie will be missed by many. He always had a friendly hello. He has left his mark in so many ways. Condolences to his family. Grant and Jackie Boysun
Nina Waller says
Such a wonderful man. So sorry and he will be so missed. Prayers.
Nina and Howard Waller
Greg Hall says
I always enjoyed our talks and working with Ernie. He will be missed….
Darrel Brown says
Good bye old friend. We had a lot of good times. You will be missed by all who crossed your path.
Rick Bittner DC says
A real pleasure to have met Earnie. Rest In Peace brother. We’ll miss you.
Robert Taylor says
I just now saw this on my email do not know why it took so long for me to receive it. Ernie was considerably younger than I was. He has made a lasting impression on me. Rest in peace Ernie. I will miss your songs.