Edith was the last member of the Orville Welton Ward and Nancy Lerona Durfee family to pass.  She was laid to rest in the Albion cemetery on a windy, snowy, cold day.  Click on the hyperlink to see photos of:  Edith’s funeral

   

     Edith’s grandchildren put together the following video montage of her life.

(Edith’s obituary: )  Edith Fae Ward Carlson was born one of twin daughters October 13, 1916 to rancher Orville Welton Ward and Nancy Lerona Durfee Ward at Almo, Idaho.  Edith grew up on the ranch and graduated from Almo Elementary school.  She attended Albion high school with her sisters and was a cheerleader.  She graduated on May 31, 1935.  On September 6, 1935 she married her high school sweetheart Joseph Ray Carlson of Albion in the Logan, Utah temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Joe and Edith soon bought the ranch from his parents, added more acres of their own and called it their Half Diamond C Ranch.  Edith always went around to the rodeos and horse races with her husband and even rode a few times with the Cassia County Posse in demonstrations.  They both really loved raising race horses.  It was on this ranch where most of their married life was spent.  They had one son, Joseph Ray Carlson, Jr. 

They decided in 1973 to sell their ranch and move into Albion city limits where she designed their beautiful “Carlson House.”  Joe passed away in August of 1980.  Devastated by the loss of her beloved husband, Edith decided to start taking college classes.  She graduated from the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls with an Associate of Arts degree in Education.  She continued on at Idaho State University in Pocatello where in 1987 she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and a minor in History.  While at Idaho State University she was an honor student and inducted into the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. 

She was a lifetime member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and for many years taught gospel doctrine adult Sunday school classes, cultural refinement and social relations lessons in Relief Society, served as secretary for the Relief Society, Young Women, and Primary, and as a den mother in Cub Scouts.  She also served as the Ward historian and was a visiting teacher.  She served on the Cassia County Historical Board from 1980 to 1983, and was the author of the book, To Albion With Love – A Frontier Town and its People.  She also wrote, Legacy, a book of their lives and her poetry for her family.  Edith and her twin sister, Edris Sears, were chosen as co-Grand Marshals for the Cassia County parade in Burley.  She always loved antiques, poetry, classical literature, history, and a beautiful home.  Her family always came first and a wonderful closeness was always shared among all of them.  She moved to Nebraska in 2007 to live with her son and his wife.  She passed away in their home on Tue. March 9, 2010.  A viewing will be held Friday from 6-8 p.m. at the Morrison Funeral Home, 188 S. Hwy 24, Rupert, Idaho.  The funeral will be at 11:00 a.m. Saturday March 13th at the LDS Church in Albion, Idaho with Bishop Randy Brackenbury officiating.  Burial will be at the Pleasant Hill Cemetery. 

Edith is survived by her son, Joseph R. (Pamela) Carlson Jr., Kearney, Nebraska; four grandchildren Joseph R. (Lori) Carlson III, Lincoln NE; Shandalyce Fae (John) Vogt of Boise, ID; Jared Isaac (Hope) Carlson of Eagle, NE; and Kathryn Arminda (Morgan) Merrill of Lincoln, NE; and eleven great-grandchildren Joseph, Shelby, and Silas Carlson; August, Seth, Benjamin, Nathan, Aubrie, and Alexa Vogt; and Sehren and Kisaac Carlson.  Besides her eternal sweetheart and husband, she was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Orville Ward Jr., Clark Ward, Thern Ward; and sisters, Hazel Beecher, Edris Sears and Mary Ellen Rasmussen.