Obituary of Carrie Anne Carlstrom

Carrie Anne Carlstrom, age 33, of Spirit Lake passed away at St. Mary's hospital in Rochester Minnesota on the 2nd of April, 2010, from complications of a ruptured cerebral artery aneurysm. Carrie was born June 8, 1976 in Nevada, Iowa to Linda and Eddie Erickson. The first 18 years of her life were spent in Maxwell, Iowa, and she graduated from Collins-Maxwell High School in 1994. She was Salutatorian of her class and the homecoming queen. After high school, she attended Iowa State University, graduating in December, 1998 with a degree in Electrical Engineering. During her college years, she worked part time repairing software problems for the John Deere Ankeny plant, and after graduation, worked full time there. Carrie was skilled in controls engineering, programming, robotic applications and other integral elements of production manufacturing. On the 11th of December, 1999 she married Jason Carlstrom of Des Moines. After Jason's graduation from Drake law school, she and Jason moved to Spirit Lake, Iowa where he established a general law practice. Carrie then worked at the Pure Fishing (formerly Berkeley) manufacturing facility in Spirit Lake, using her skills as an electrical engineer and manufacturing engineer. She was promoted to a managerial position just before her death, and was returning from a European buying trip when stricken. Carrie had a passion for animals of all kinds, rescuing spiders, snakes, mice, cats, bats or any other animal, whenever she thought them threatened. She was skilled at the repair of almost any poorly working machine, computer, and was a skilled electrician and plumber. Carrie had a passion for fitness, outdoor activities of any kind; she was an adventurer and exceptional travel partner. Carrie is survived by her husband, Jason, her parents, Linda and Austin Ramzy from Clive, Eddie and Sandie Erickson from Maxwell, and her sister, Darcy Powers from Wilmette, Illinois and several step siblings. She was especially devoted to and loved by her several nieces and one nephew, as well as her extended family of in laws, Gracie her Labrador, Rhet her horse, and Morris and Bea, her cats. Memorials can be sent to the Animal Rescue League of Iowa, the Caringbridge website which greatly assisted us in keeping friends and family apprised of Carrie's status during her illness or the Pure Fishing Foundation, a terrific organization in which Carrie was very active. We desperately mourn her passing.