Zone 8 – Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana
Director: Rita Carlson
Previous District 1 Office: Zone 8 Director 2012-2014
Lodge Offices held: Secretary, President
Sons of Norway member since 1998: Cleng Peerson Lodge, Austin, TX; Nordtex Lodge, Dallas, TX
Born in Starbuck, raised on a farm near Cyrus, both in Minnesota. Norwegian heritage: All 4 grandparents were descendents of Norwegian immigrants, between 1850-1880.
Education: Bachelor of Science in Nursing from St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN; Master of Science in Nursing, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX
Employment: Nursing Faculty at Pan American University, Edinburg, TX. Retiree from University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, TX
Family: Husband was the late Rev. Merrill Carlson, Lutheran pastor in Russell & St.Paul MN, San Antonio & Mission in TX. Mother of 6 children, grandmother of 9, great grandmother of 3. All live in Texas.
Other member and volunteer organizations: First Lutheran Church, Health Ministries Network of Texas, Church Women United, Norwegian Society of Texas,
Zone 8 Lodges:
Nordtex 594, Dallas, TX
Hundreårsjubileum 671, Oklahoma City, OK