Leland Gene Carlson

Leland Gene Carlson was a well-known Cloquet native whose life was rooted in the northwoods he loved. A lifelong resident of Cloquet, Minnesota, he built a steady career as an accountant and later retired to spend more time outdoors. Friends and neighbors who knew Carlson by his nickname “Frenchy” remember a man comfortable in the outdoors: he often hunted and fished in Carlton County and the surrounding area, pursuits that reflected a deep appreciation for nature and the region where he lived.

Carlson graduated from the local schools in Cloquet and pursued higher education in the region before embarking on a long professional life in accounting. Those who worked with him recall a reliable, methodical approach to his work and a practical steadiness that suited both his profession and his outdoor interests.

Outside his career, family and community were central. Public notices about his death name surviving family members, including a spouse, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and describe a man whose life encompassed several generations of local family ties. He was active in the routines and rhythms of small-town life, and his presence was part of the fabric of the Cloquet community.

On November 7, 2016, while engaged in hunting during the season, Carlson was discovered deceased in a deer stand. Local authorities investigated and reported that no foul play was suspected. His passing was felt by family and friends who remember him for his steady, unassuming character, his skill and love of the outdoors, and his long connections to Cloquet.

Though public records about his early life and private moments are limited in online archives, what is clear is that Leland Gene Carlson lived a life shaped by work, family, and the natural world around him. This remembrance honors him as a husband, parent, grandparent, great-grandparent, and member of the Cloquet community whose life mattered to those who knew him.