William 'Bill' George Carlson, 87

William (Bill) George Carlson passed away at his home in Hayden, Idaho, on May 17, 2026, surrounded by his loving family. He was 87. Bill packed a huge amount of adventure into almost nine decades of life. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and a toy executive. He loved his family and was deeply devoted to them. He also loved the L.A. Lakers and the Minnesota Vikings, Twins and Gophers. More than anything, Bill loved Jesus. After personally experiencing the “unmerited favor of God in Christ” in 1964, Bill spent much of his life sharing his faith and everything else he had with others. Bill’s generosity and care often turned strangers into friends and friends into family.   

Born to Arthur George and Marie Carlson on June 19, 1938, in Morris, Minn., Billy grew up with his beloved sister, Lorraine. When he was 9 years old, Billy was run over by a street packer. He miraculously survived the accident, the grueling surgery and the many months of rehabilitation. During his recovery, Billy listened to Major League Baseball broadcasts on the radio. This was the beginning of a lifelong love of sports. Bill earned a business degree from Concordia College and married his childhood sweetheart, Sharon Rose Kellenberger, in 1958. They welcomed seven children, including Stephanie, Sarah, Susan, Timothy, Elizabeth, Joshua and Benjamin. Bill and Sharon also have 25 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren.

In four decades in the toy industry, Bill made it his mission to create an exceptional play experience for children. His own children often tested toy designs before they were released to the market. Bill helped to establish and grow major toy brands in the United States, including Tomy and Playmates. He was responsible for bringing the original launch of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to the toy market in the 1980s.  

Bill served on various church boards and believed that every blessing from God was unearned. He quoted Romans 5: 8 to explain: But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Bill often described himself as just a sinner saved by grace, and he invited friends, family and strangers to explore the grace of Jesus and experience the amazing love of God in their own hearts. 

A celebration of God’s grace in Bill’s life will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 11, 2026, at Living Hope Church, 3639 W. Prairie Ave., Hayden, Idaho. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Mercy Ships @ partner.mercyships.org.

Please visit Bill’s online memorial and sign his guestbook at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.