Carolyn Stahmer

CAROLYN STAHMER

Iowa City

Carolyn Verlee Stahmer 73, loving wife and mother, passed away Friday, Sept. 2, 2016, at Iowa City Mercy Hospice.

Carolyn was born April 18, 1943, in Iowa City, Iowa, to Harry and Gertrude (Westlake) Swanson of Lone Tree. Carolyn married Harlan Stahmer on Sept 8, 1962.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11, at Lone Tree American Legion with Carol Kaalberg officiating. Burial will be in Lone Tree Cemetery. The family invites friends to join them for a gathering to celebrate Carolyn's life back at the American Legion.

Carolyn loved music and played the piano most of her life. She loved spending time with her family and friends, and her grandchildren were the light of her life. Carolyn enjoyed traveling, watching her children's and grandchildren's activities over the years and baby-sitting her grandchildren. She also enjoyed dancing with Harlan. Their marriage was a true love story, and their children felt blessed to have them for an example. On Sept. 8, they would have celebrated 54 years of marriage.

Carolyn is survived by her loving husband, Harlan, of Iowa City; children, Michelle (Pat) Smith of Solon, Shawn Stahmer of Iowa City, Kay (Andy) Viner of Lone Tree and Scott (Tonya) Stahmer of North Liberty; grandchildren, Brady (fiancee, Lindsey Meskimen) and Brianna Smith, Marie and Ashley Stahmer, Thomas, Nickalaus, Alex Viner and Stephanie Gottschalk, Quinn and Parker Stahmer; great-grandchildren, Kaleb and Kelsi Kruse and Bailee Gottschalk; and siblings and in-laws, Cheryl (Larry) Schnoebelen of Iowa City, Janice Salm of North Liberty, Colene (Jim) Guthrie of Marion, Nancy Swanson and Gary Swanson, both of Lone Tree, Lavern (Jude) Stahmer of Iowa City, Melvin (Kathy) Stahmer of Coralville, Eileen (Jim) Meyers of Maquoketa and Jerry Waters of Clarence.

Carolyn was preceded in death by her parents, Harry and Gertrude Swanson; her father- and mother-in-law, John and Luella Stahmer; sister-in-law, Darlene Waters; and brother-in-law, Tom Salm.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research or Iowa City Hospice.

Carolyn's family would like to thank Dr. Sarin for his wonderful care for Carolyn and the Iowa City Hospice and Mercy Hospice staff for their tender care of Carolyn over the past several months.

Online condolences may be made at www.lensingfuneral.com.