Frithjof N. Carlsen

It broke our hearts to lose you, but you didn't go alone, part of us went with you the day you were called home….. Frithjof  N.  Carlsen,  95,  formerly of Rome and LeRaysville, Pa passed away peacefully on Monday, August 28, 2017 at the Riverview Manor Nursing Home in Owego.  Fred, as he was affectionately known was born on January 13, 1922 in Sandefjord, Norway a son of the late George Conrad and Agnes Kristine (Johansen) Carlsen.  Fred attended school in Sandefjord until the 8th grade and in 1937  at the age of 15 went on one of four whaling trips to Antarctica on the ship "Ulysses". Then he joined the Norwegian Merchant Marines for a couple of years. Fred made his way to Staten Island and eventually enlisted into the US Army for four years. He served with the 88th Infantry Division known as the "Blue Devils". During his combat time in Italy, he was awarded a field commission to Second Lieutenant. Fred later met and married his beautiful bride Lillian Aanonsen on October 6, 1945.  Fred and Lillian moved to North Orwell, Pa in 1946 where they purchased and operated a dairy farm for fifteen years while raising their family.  The family returned to Staten Island and were proprietors of a Norwegian delicatessen in Great Kills, NY. In 1964 Fred and Lillian returned to Rome, Pa and purchased the Carlsen General Store. They enjoyed their retirement years living in LeRaysville and visiting Norway with friends and family.  Fred's heart was broken on February 21, 2004 when his loving wife Lillian passed away following 58 years of marriage.  Those left to cherish Fred's memory are, his children:  Ingrid H. Lunde of Apalachin, NY; Christine Chaffee of Rome, PA; Arlene and her husband Arlyn Wilbur of LeRaysville, PA; Conrad and his wife Rebecca Carlsen of Rome, PA; his special grandchildren: Jennifer (Chaffee) and Jay Braund,  Katherine (Lunde) and David Guiles; Robin (Wilbur) and William Huizinga; Lillian (Lunde) and Brian Henry, Julie (Chaffee) and Mike Decker, Jeffrey Wilbur, Kristin (Carlsen) and Tom Shores, Tory and Amy Carlsen, Kelsey (Carlsen) and Stephen Peterson; great grandchildren: Benjamin, Emily, Ian, Anna, Megan, Owen, Ryan, Madox, Jaxon, Jacob, Grace, Kate, Lexi, Riley, and soon to be a great granddaughter; and a special friend Alice Mae Cook of North Orwell, Pa. He was predeceased by his wife Lillian, his parents, a brother Anker Carlsen and sons-in-law:  Lars K. Lunde and Dennis Chaffee. A gathering and dinner  for family and friends will be held on Saturday, September 9th from 5 to 7 pm at the North Orwell Community Building, 34142 Route 187, Rome, Pa.  Memories and condolences may be shared by visiting his guest book at www.sutfinfuneralchapel.com  Those who wish may kindly consider a memorial in honor of his grandchildren Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation, One Children's Hospital Drive, Central Plant Floor 3, 440 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15224-1342 or www.givetochildrens.org(please specify the Heart Institute) or the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, 26 Broadway, 14th Floor New York, NY 10004 www.jdrf.org Cemetery Details Neath Cemetery 4702 Williams Road LeRaysville, PA 18829 Loading map