On January 6, 2024,  Peggy Larson Carlson stepped into Heaven.  She was 96.

Margaret Joan Larson was born August 3, 1927, in Quito, Ecuador to Reuben and Grace Larson who were among the group that founded missionary radio station HCJB.  Her childhood was spent in the jungles near Dos Rios and in Quito.  Ecuador remained her "heart home" and she often referred to Spanish as the language of Heaven.

She came to Wheaton, Illinois to finish college and met her future husband, Bob, when her parents rented a house from their friends the Carlsons.  With the house came Bob and his sister CJ . . . and the rest is history.   That house became Bob and Peggy's home for most of their 67 years of married life.

Peggy graduated from the West Suburban School of Nursing and Wheaton College.  After their wedding, Bob taught at Wheaton College while Peggy taught at West Suburban until Bobbi was born.

When Bob was drafted into the army and sent to Taiwan in 1956, Peggy packed up their baby daughter, and moved back to Ecuador until he was discharged.  At that point, both Larsons and Carlsons were in mission work there.

After returning to Wheaton, Eric and Ted were born.

Bob and Peggy spent 7 years in Hong Kong as missionaries (from 1960 to 1967).  Bob taught New Testament Greek at the Alliance Bible Seminary on Cheung Chau island.  Peggy served as school nurse, taught some English and AV classes and cared for their 4 children, Carrie having been born in Hong Kong.  Peggy learned Cantonese and enjoyed switching from English to Spanish to Cantonese even years later.

Bob's gift was teaching; Peg's was hospitality.   On Cheung Chau on a Sunday night, it was common to find homesick U.S. and British sailors at the Carlson home for a homecooked meal, a hymn sing, and time with a family. Students from the Bible school were frequent visitors also.  In Wheaton their home was a place where missionaries, college age children of friends, and the occasional visiting scholar have lived.  It was impossible for anyone to enter the home without Peg offering something to eat or drink. The dining room table had extra leaves, and the walls of the house seemed to be able to stretch.

While living in Wheaton, Peggy's time was spent in ministry.  She especially loved the HNGR program at Wheaton College, Medical Assistance Program (MAP) and her summer as camp nurse at Honey Rock. She served as a Deaconess at College Church and was an active participant in College Church's Women's Bible Studies and the Greek Sunday School Class.

Upon retirement, she loved reading, crocheting, doing the NYT crossword puzzle, hosting neighborhood Bible study and traveling back to Ecuador,  Bob's childhood home in China, and Scandinavia to explore their ancestral roots.  When grandchildren started to come along, days with "Nana" became a regular and wonderful part of their lives.  That was her greatest ministry.

In later years though Alzheimer's eroded her memory and abilities, Peg kept her loved home in Ecuador as her context, her conviction that the people around her were friends, her habit of reading her Bible, and her longing for Heaven.

Peggy was preceded into Heaven by her husband Bob in 2019. She is survived by their children: Bobbi (Steve) Johnson, Eric (Lorraine), Ted (Cindy) and Carrie Carlson, 11 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister-in-law Carol (Bob) Wenninger.   This tally does not tell the whole story since there are a number of others who are unofficial but true family.

We would like to thank the caregivers at the DuPage County Care Center for their loving care of Mom.

A memorial service will be held at College Church, in the Commons, on Saturday, February 17th at 3:00 p.m.  Friends may visit with the family prior to the service from 2:00 p.m. and after the service.

A livestream of the service will be available here: Services for Margaret Carlson

Memorial gifts may be directed to ITEC, itecusa.org to support their work in Ecuador.