Obituary of Irvin J. Carlstedt
Lynn – Irvin James Carlstedt 88, loving husband of Cynthia N. (Bolelli) Carlstedt, died Thursday, August 8, 2019 at home following a long illness.
Born and raised in Chicago, IL, he was the oldest son of the late Irvin Henry and Margaret (Bastiani) Carlstedt.
Mr. Carlstedt had been employed for thirty-three years as a compositor for the Washington Post until the time of his retirement in 1998. After his graduation from Illinois School for the Deaf High School, he worked at the Chicago Tribune and the Sun Times in Chicago as a linotype operator. He travelled to the west and worked for newspapers as a linotype operator in Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and Texas after receiving a typographical travelling card in 1958. He was a member of the Columbia Typographical Union #101-12 for sixty-one years.
Irvin attended the Illinois High School in Jacksonville, IL where he also played sports. Though he played track and basketball, he excelled in football as a defensive tackle. He received the School Award from the American Legion for courage, leadership, honor, service and scholarship. Later, he would play in a semi-professional football team in Jamesville, Wisconsin. He played about two years there and was told “if he could hear, he would play professional football.” He admired and patterned his life around Jim Thorpe, an Indian and a famous professional football player at the time. He was inducted in 2004. He was also a Lutheran Sunday School teacher for two and a half years.
He and his brothers were very cooperative with each other. In his early years during World War II, he and his brother Bill built model airplanes which in turn influenced the younger brother, Richard to do the same. His hearing brothers, Rich and Dave had always helped Irvin and Bill, who was also deaf, a great deal and were always there for them for years.
A resident of Hyattsville, Maryland for many years before moving to Lynn in 1998, Irvin enjoyed traveling with his wife throughout the country, visiting family and different states.
In addition to his wife, with whom she always was very devoted to during their forty-three years of marriage, he is survived by his two brothers and their spouses, Richard Carlstedt of Green Bay, Wisconsin and David Carlstedt of Valparaiso, Indiana and many nieces and nephews. He had two children from his previous marriage and six grandchildren. He was also the brother of the late Norma, Ruth, Esther, William, Thomas, Donald, Louise and Mary.
His funeral services will be private. Arrangements by the Conway Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home, 82 Lynn Street, Peabody. For on-line obituary and guestbook visit www.ccbfuneral.com.
