Dorothy L. Carson

Dorothy L. Carson, 98, of Maquoketa, Iowa, died on Saturday, December 15, 2012, in her son's home under the care of her family and Hospice of Jackson County. A celebration of Dorothy's life will be held at 10 A.M., Thursday, December 20, 2012, from the Carson Celebration of Life Center in Maquoketa, Iowa. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 P.M. on Wednesday, December 19, 2012, at the Carson Celebration of Life Center in Maquoketa. Burial will be at the Mount Hope Cemetery, Maquoketa, Iowa. Dorothy Lucille Schoendelen was born on August 26, 1914 in Clinton County, Iowa, to Arthur Walter and Jessie (Maltas) Schoendelen. She grew up in Welton and graduated at the age of 16 as the class valedictorian. She then attended Business College in Davenport where she earned a degree in secretarial/bookkeeping. She married William G. "Bill" Carson on July 2, 1936 in Marshalltown, Iowa. He preceded her in death on March 23, 1988. Through the years, Dorothy had worked as a court reporter/stenographer, and also as a secretary/bookkeeper. In 1936, she and her late husband, Bill, founded Carson Funeral Home in Maquoketa where together they built a business. She mainly worked as the book...[more]

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per, but also cared for families and worked alongside Bill when extra help was needed. In 1971 her son Rodney purchased the business and she continued her bookkeeping duties until retiring in 1991. The business continues in operation today under the direction of the 3rd generation, Dorothy's grandson, Don. Dorothy was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star in Maquoketa where she had served as past worthy matron, and she was a charter member of the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority. Dorothy loved being stylish and liked nice clothes, scarves and jewelry. She enjoyed playing cards, knitting, animals, and had an appetite for many foods with coffee, cherry pie, shrimp, bread pudding and cinnamon rolls being her favorites. She had a desire for trying new things and at the age of 90, with help from her family, got her first computer. She adored her family and attending the grandchildren's sporting events often driving on the busy I-80 interstate to Des Moines to watch them play. In her younger years she was known for her golfing and had been a former women's club champion. She also enjoyed following the Hawkeyes and Cyclones and was a Chicago Cubs fan. Traveling was also something Dorothy enjoyed doing, spending many winters with Bill in Arizona and California, as well as visiting the Northwoods of Wisconsin with a most recent trip in October. Those left to honor Dorothy's memory include her son, Rodney (Beverly) Carson of Maquoketa, IA; 2 grandchildren, Valerie (Michael Gionet) Clark of Des Moines, IA, and Don (Lenke) Carson of Maquoketa, IA; 3 great-grandchildren, Nate Clark, Natalie Clark and Karysa Carson; step-brothers, Kenneth Ruggeberg of DeWitt, IA, and Everett Ruggeberg of Welton, IA; and step-sisters, Vinetta Farber of Eldridge, IA, and Margaret Pestka of Clinton, IA. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, 3 step-sisters and 4 step-brothers. In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, memorials may be made to the Jackson County Humane Society or Hospice of Jackson County. Online condolences may be left at www.CarsonAndSon.com.