In Memoriam: Rodney Sven Carlson, 1937-2023
Founded & Ran Ensured Commercial Services For Over Two Decades
Rodney S. Carlson, 86, of 44 Briarwood Circle, died Sunday, November 19, 2023, in UMass Memorial Medical Center from complications following cardiac surgery.
He was born in Worcester, son of Sven H. and Evelyn Rose (Mercier) Carlson, and lived there most of his life.
He leaves his long-term partner, Suzanne (Schmidter) Stanley; his first wife, Dorothy (Swyden) Carlson; three children from his first marriage and their children, James Carlson of Fl, Robert Carlson of Cork, Ireland, and Catherine Fluehmann of FL; and three children and two grandchildren from his partnership with Suzanne, Catherine Blackwell of Warren, MA, Barbara Petrocelli of Douglas, MA, Gregory Stanley of Malden, MA, and the grandchildren, Heath Blackwell of Ayer, MA and Elizabeth Petrocelli of Boston, MA. He is preceded in death by his son Richard R. Carlson.
He graduated from Worcester Academy in 1955 and attended Clark University. He founded Ensured Commercial Services and ran it for more than two decades. Later in his career, he became a certified financial planner and life insurance broker.
In 1993, he and his partner, Suzanne Stanley, became full-time, live-aboard sailors on the Glenlyon, a 44-ft Antigua sloop. For over 23 years, they sailed throughout the US East Coast, the Caribbean, Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East.
In 2016, he returned to Worcester and moved to the Briarwood Continuing Care Retirement Community. He is noted for his humor and storytelling and as a skilled and enthusiastic bridge player. He often remarked that he was exceedingly grateful to have had a chance to live such a rich and varied life and for the friendships and community which he enjoyed at Briarwood in his later years.
Rodney donated his body to the UMass Chan Medical School. A celebration of his life will be held on Friday, December 15, from 2:00 to 3:30 PM at the Loring Auditorium at the Briarwood Continuing Care Community, 65 Briarwood Circle. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Briarwood Continuing Care Community or Bristol Yacht Club.
