Marquette County Mine Inspector John “Yogi” Carlson was a man who took great pride in forging relationships during the 20 years he held the position, and he kept his sense of humor while doing it.

“Honestly, my dad was a celebrity in the town of Ishpeming. He knew everyone, talked to everyone,” his daughter Sarah Carlson said in an interview on Thursday. “He loved people. And it was funny, when we would come to visit, my son would go with him to the Congress, or somewhere else, and he would say: ‘Does Grandpa know everyone?'”

ounty as someone who was a true woodsman.

“The mine inspector job was made for him,” Sarah Carlson said. “He liked to walk around the woods and look at holes in the ground. When I would come up from downstate to visit, he would usually have to ‘show me something,'” she chuckled. “It was a big hole with a fence around it. He was funny because he became so into safety after that. He became really into keeping everyone safe and watching out for community.”

A graduate of Ishpeming High School, “Yogi” spent the majority of his adult life working at mines in the west end of Marquette County. He worked at the Republic Mine Brownstone Shop first, and eventually retired from the Empire Mine.

A 2003 photo shows Marquette County Mine Inspector John ÒYogiÓ Carlson, left, and local mining historian Leo LaFond, right, standing with Hope Kruger, who was a fifth grader at C.L. Phelps Elementary School in Ishpeming at the time. Kruger drew 2003Õs winning design for the stickers Carlson gave to students during his presentations on the dangers of caving grounds (Journal file photo)

Marquette County Administrator Scott Erbisch said Carlson was truly dedicated to his job.

“John really took the job seriously and was really enjoyable to work with,” Erbisch said. “You’re losing a good person, of course. He had made the decision to retire as mine inspector and pursue other endeavors in his life… And to lose him entirely, it is a loss for our region. He was a good man.”

Outside his responsibilities as mine inspector, Yogi enjoyed fishing, hunting, baseball, umpiring, throwing horseshoes and spending time at camp.

He was known as an avid Ishpeming Hematite fan, Sarah Carlson said.

He attended as many football and basketball games as he could and even traveled downstate any time a team from his alma mater competed in championship games.

She called him a “great supporter of the community at large.”

“If a neighbor was in need, he was the first one to help them out. He had a great sense of humor, even when things didn’t necessarily go his way,” Sarah Carlson said. “My dad always said: ‘If you can be happy 50% of the time, that’s a good life.'”

A celebration of John Carlson’s life will be held at a later date due to coronavirus concerns, she said.

Lisa Bowers can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 242. Her email address is lbowers@miningjournal.net.

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