April Dee. Carlson, age 59, passed away Thursday, September 3, 2025 at St. Mary's Hospital in Madison.

With the sun dipping low over the fields of Wisconsin, Heaven opened its gates wide on the evening of September 3, 2025, to welcome April Dee Carlson home. At 8:10 p.m., she traded her boots for wings and rode into eternity with the same quiet strength and grace she carried through life—like a soft breeze rustling through tall grass.

Born with a wild heart and a soul stitched from kindness, April was preceded in death by her father, Clyde Bowman and her older sister, Carolyn Bowman. She leaves behind her loving mother, Diana McKenzie; her husband, Vernon Carlson; her brother Toby Bowman and his wife Carrie; and her beloved daughters: Christy Obrein, Brittany Andersen (James), and Tori Carlson-Roberg (Harold). Her legacy lives on in her cherished grandchildren—Heaven, Jack, Harold Jr., Graysen, and Lucas—who will always carry her spirit like a melody sung under a wide open sky. April’s circle of love stretched far and wide, including dear friends Mary Severson, Lisa Jurgerson, Jennifer Howe, Claudia Sampson, and many more kinfolk and kindred spirits.

April lived life like a country road—unpredictable, beautiful, and full of heart. A proud graduate of the police academy, she stood watch through the night as a security guard, with courage in her bones and duty in her soul. She raised dogs with devotion, raced barrels with fire, and loved her horses like family. Her kick-butt attitude was matched only by her soundtrack—equal parts rock ‘n’ roll and old country thunder.

She found peace in the simple things—eating dessert first, sun tanning with a good book in hand, her Bible always within reach like a compass for her soul. But April wasn’t just about quiet moments; she had a spark that lit up any room. She could dive into a gritty police drama with the same intensity she brought to real-life challenges, always rooting for justice and standing tall for what was right. The twang of country music stirred something deep in her—memories, dreams, and the kind of strength only a woman with dust on her boots and grace in her heart could understand.

April was a “Mother to all,” but she was also a fierce protector, a loyal friend, and a relentless encourager. She had a way of seeing the best in people and pushing them toward it—whether with a gentle word, a bold truth, or a shoulder to lean on. Her love was layered: soft when you needed comfort, strong when you needed courage, and always wrapped in faith. She reminded others that no dream was too far, no road too long, and no soul too lost to be found.

April lived by the kind of wisdom you hear in a country song:

“When you get where you’re goin’, don’t forget turn back around, and help the next one in line.”

She’d give you the shirt off her back, said please and thank you, and taught her family that strength is best worn with humility. Her life was a living example of what it means to stay humble and kind.

Her legacy is etched into the earth and whispered through the heavens—strong, compassionate, and full of faith. She’ll be missed like the last light on a summer evening, but her spirit will keep riding, wide and free, with angel wings and country grace, across the hearts of those who loved her.