Fai C. Carlson

Fai C Carlson passed away peacefully at home Monday, August 28th.  People she loved were on each side of her, holding her hands, as she left this world for a far better one.  She was 101 years old, able to stay at home the last few years of her long, eventful life.
  Fai was born June 1st, 1922 in Georgetown, Texas, to Clayton & Abbie Carlisle, the last of 5 children.  The family moved to other small Texas towns during her childhood, like Millsap, Joinerville, and eventually Irving where she graduated High School in 1940.  Her father was a barber, her three brothers Ivan, EJ, Marvin, and her sister Elizabeth pitched in with their mother to help sustain the family through the Great Depression.  She had many stories about freight train traveling hobos looking to work for a meal.
  As WW II approached, she secured a job at a book depository in Dallas, and moved on to work during the war years as a civilian employee of the Eighth Army Service Command in the same city.  She worked with the mechanical forerunners of electronic computers, using punch cards and metal rods, as a clerk and typist helping the Army stay organized.  She spoke fondly of her experiences and friends from those years.
  After helping close down expanded wartime services of the Eighth Army, she moved on to Secretarial, receptionist, and office management work most notably with Mr. Buddy Fogleson and his oil company, headquartered in Dallas Texas. In 1946 she met and married George Trapalis, a Greek restaurant owner in Dallas. George Victor, a son, was born to the couple June 28th 1947.  This marriage was short-lived, and she became a single parent for several years, with the assistance of her dedicated mother, Abbie.
  She met, and eventually married Ken Carlson in Dallas, Texas and they had a son Kenneth William Carlson Jr. August 9th 1954.  Mr. Carlson worked hard at Ingersoll-Rand company as an engineer / salesman, a job which took the family from White Rock Lake in Texas, to Boonton & Mt. Arlington New Jersey, to Boise Idaho 1962, Portland Oregon 1965, Eugene Oregon 1966, and finally, back to Boise in 1972 where Ken helped found C&A Equipment, and eventually it became owned and operated by he and Fai.  She had put her energetic office management skills to work there, once again.
  The little company proved to be just right for Fai and Ken, allowing them to meet and entertain many interesting people over the years.  She also enjoyed ice skating, and snow skiing with the family over the years in New Jersey, Oregon and Idaho.  Along the way she encouraged the two brothers in Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, school athletics, music, and various other activities, always wanting the best for her children.  Their partnership also allowed for much fishing, camping, and outdoor enjoyment to be had in Idaho.
  In later years she showed unfailing love and efforts to help her husband Ken, continue with C&A Equipment until his passing at age 93 in 2013.  In 2015 she closed C&A for good, and settled in at her house for a long deserved rest.  She still made new friends along the way, as several loving caregivers helped her and the family see to it that she, and her beloved cats, were taken care of.
  The family wishes to thank Michealene Howell, Buji Steffen, Rachel & Nicole Lane, and especially Terra Villicana for her exceptional dedication to Fai's care.  And family friend Dr. Ray Hooft.
  She is survived by 2 children, Vic (wife Seira) and Bill. Two grand-children, Tyler and Chad.  Five great grand-children.  Please make memorials to the Idaho Humane Society.