The Celebration of Life Service will be on Monday, July 23 at 11 a.m., with visitation starting at 9:30 am, all at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 5634 Luther Road, SE, Prior Lake, MN. Reverend John P. Vaughn will officiate. Carl will be laid to rest at Fort Snelling National Cemetery, with full military honors provided by the Prior Lake V.F.W. Post 6208 Honor Guard and the Fort Snelling National Cemetery Honor Guard.
Carl’s Story
Born on Thursday, May 21, 1931 in Sioux City, Iowa, Carl Richard was the son of Carl Edgar and Geneva Josephine (Smith) Taute. Carl’s childhood years were spent in Sioux City. He left school as a young teen to earn extra family income shining shoes at the local barber shop.
Drafted into the United States Army, Carl was a medic and drove an ambulance around in Japan, during the Korean War. Prior to and even after the service, he worked many years as a young adult in a meat packing plant. Carl worked for a roofing company for several years and then went on to own and operate a residential roofing business for 15 years while being employed as a machinist for 28 years at Thermo King.
Through Carl’s sister Lois, Carl went on a blind date with Wilma Hazel Swoboda. They married soon after on October 2, 1954 in Sioux City, Iowa. They were blessed with two children, Carl and Pamela.
Carl was a lifelong member of the Prior Lake V.F.W. Post 6208 and an active volunteer in the Prior Lake V.F.W. Post 6208 Honor Guard. He was also a member of the Prior Lake Sportsmen Club. With 50+ years living in Prior Lake, Carl was an avid fisherman spending endless hours fishing on Prior Lake. He enjoyed dancing, bowling and calling Bingo at Prior Manor.
A passionate husband, dad and grandpa, Carl’s eyes would light up whenever he was surrounded by his family. He truly loved each and every one of them. Carl will be sadly missed for his long lasting and loud laugh with that big smile. But he will be truly missed for his hugs which included wrapping his long arms tightly around you and never letting you go.
With an exuberant love for life, Carl always had a happy go-lucky personality. He was joyful, heartfelt and was an affectionate husband, dad and grandpa. A resident of Prior Lake, Carl was age 81, when he passed away peacefully the early afternoon hours of Saturday, July 7, 2012 at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, MN.
Forever loved, Carl will be deeply missed by his wife of 57 years, Wilma; children, Carl Joseph (Sharon) Taute of Merrifield, Pamela D. (Don) Egan of Golden Valley; son-in-law, Dean Hanson of Rogers; grandchildren, Lindsay and Lauren Taute, Natalie (Kyle Gullings) Hanson, Nicholas Hanson, Nathaniel (Tricia) Hanson, Timothy and Jessica Egan; great-grandchildren, Elianah and Gregory Hanson; sisters, Luella Speichinger of Kansas, LaVonne Moffit of South Dakota; many other loving relatives and friends. Carl is preceded in death by his parents; brother, Don Taute; and sister, Lois Rubino.
Memorials preferred to The Prior Lake V.F.W. Post 6208 Honor Guard
