Vi Carlson celebrated her 95th birthday with family and friends at the Swedish Club in Farmington Hills, Michigan. Vi is an outgoing and bright, beautiful woman, who looks much younger than she is. That is why I wondered if there may be something wrong with her birth certificate. She was responsible for the entertainment programs at the Swedish Club until January 2011, when she read her last report about the many activities that took place during the year.
Violet Grace Carlson, whose maiden name was Erickson, was born January 19, 1916 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Vi met Oscar Carlson, from Odskolt, Dalsland, Sweden, at the Vasa Country Club in Lapeer in 1933. Oscar had a convertible, which Violet thought was pretty nice, and In 1939 they married. He was the president of Excel Tool and Die Co.
They joined the Swedish Club in Farmington Hills in 1964. Oscar died in 1992.
Their son, Arne, was born in 1951. He is a retired city planner now, currently selling wine. Cheri, Violet’s daughter-in-law, is a retired elementary art teacher, and granddaughter Britt is a television anchor and reporter in Chico, California.
Vi has known her old friends Rho and Gene Blanchard since 1964. They arranged a great birthday party at the Swedish Club with about 70 family members, friends and neighbors. Vi walked around like a queen talking with everybody and enticing friends to stand up and talk about her.
She has many friends who can tell many stories about her. She has always been very active and enjoyed skiing until she was 80. On her 80th birthday she received a new tennis racket. On her 90th birthday she got a new computer, which she uses with joy. Her contributions to the Swedish Club’s Newsletter are numerous. She has always enjoyed travelling around the world, particularly the Orient and the Greek Islands.
Two weeks before her birthday party, Vi walked outside with the garbage and locked herself out of the house. She walked in the cold winter weather down to the police station to ask for help. There she collapsed and her heart stopped. Luckily, she was in the right place to be resuscitated. She was placed on a ventilator but could breathe on her own the next day. After five days, Vi thought it was time to go home. The doctor wanted her to stay another day. “Oh, no,” Vi said. “I have my bridge club at 2 p.m.” What a strong Viking woman!

Submitted by: Lisbeth Nordstrom-Lerner, M.D. lisbethnordstromlerner@hotmail.com
Member of Scandia Women’s Choir, Swedish Club, SWEA