Milton H. Carlson Endowed Scholarship Fund

The Milton H. Carlson Endowment Financial Aid Fund was established to honor the life of Milton Helmer Carlson. Milton was born August 17, 1920 to Carl Helmer and Esther Christina Carlson in Torrance, Cal. where he spent his entire life except when he served in the military during World War II. After his honorable discharge in 1946, Milton began work in the aviation industry and remained with North American Aviation and North American Rockwell or its subsidiaries for 36 years, holding many jobs of increasing responsibility until his retirement in 1983. Milton worked on the following aircraft projects: X-15 Research Aircraft, Air Force F-108, and General Dynamics F-111 development groups, and the XB-70 projects, in addition to having a key role at North American Rockwell in the development of America’s Space Shuttle program. Never married, Milton was devoted to his church home, First Lutheran Church of Torrance California, and its mission to serve God and the community. He was a stalwart member for more than 60 years. He personally described his conversion to faith as receiving a “calling from God’s Holy Spirit”. He served faithfully in many capacities: a day laborer during the building the “new” sanctuary, Sunday school teacher, Navajo vacation bible school program, a member of countless church projects, and many lay offices of responsibility and influence. As everyone’s “Uncle Milty” he became a Sunday morning institution, faithfully greeting many generations of worshipers during both services at the main church doors. This fund provides important scholarship support to deserving students in any degree program preparing for full-time work in the church with preference to seniors.