Col. Gunnar C. Carlson Jr.

Col Gunnar C. Carlson Jr., US Army (retired), was born on April 7th, 1939 to Helen Mabel and Gunnar C. Carlson at Fort Benning, Georgia. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1961 as a Field Artillery Officer. He earned a Master’s of Science in Meteorology from the University of Wisconsin in 1969, where he confirmed Atmospheric Tides. He attended the Armed Forces Staff College and the Industrial College Of the Armed Forces. 

His military career included command of a howitzer battery in Vietnam, a warhead detachment in Turkey, a training battalion at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, operations officer for an infantry division in Korea, Systems Manager for Target Acquisition with the Training and Doctrine Command where he managed four remotely piloted vehicle programs, Firefinder, Firefinder II, Elevated Target Acquisition System, and Aquila. He completed his military career as the Commander/Director of the United States Army Atmospheric Sciences Laboratory at White Sands Missile Range. 

He was an Extra Class amateur radio operator and 33rd Degree Scottish Rite Mason. After retirement he enjoyed being active in the Masons, Rv-ing with his wife, and he lectured frequently on climate change and global warming.

He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Beverly Ann, his step-children Torre Bookout (Gwen), Cindy Bookout (Jamie), and Daniel McKinney (Rebecca), as well as his sister-in-law Victoria, nieces and nephews Melissa, Samantha, Christopher and Matthew, and 13 grand nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his brother Ken and parents.

Funeral service to be held on November 9th at 1pm at the Scottish Rite Temple in Las Cruces followed by a graveside service at the Masonic Cemetery, also in Las Cruces.