Carolyn Benge

CAROLYN ANN BENGE

Cedar Rapids

Carolyn Ann Benge, 83, of Cedar Rapids, died Monday, Aug. 14, 2017. Visitation: 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 16, at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cedar Rapids. Funeral service: 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 17, at Hope Lutheran Church, Cedar Rapids. Pastor Rodney Bluml will officiate. The family requests that everyone wear Carolyn's favorite color, purple, at her services. Burial: Linwood Cemetery, Cedar Rapids.

Carolyn was born on May 11, 1934, in Fremont, Iowa, the daughter of Cecil and Erna Cumpton. She attended grade school in a one-room school house in Belknap, Iowa. They later moved to Tracy, Iowa, graduating from Tracy High School in 1952. While in high school, she played basketball, lettering in the sport. On March 10, 1954, she married Larry Benge Sr. in Floris, Iowa. They were married for 62 years. They lived in the Mechanicsville and Stanwood area for many years, before moving to Cedar Rapids for the last 45 years. She was a very active member of Hope Lutheran Church and loved spending time with her grandchildren. Carolyn also enjoyed baking, quilting, crafts and collecting snowmen.

Carolyn is survived by her husband, Larry Sr.; children, Mary Lou (Michael Parnell) Benge, and Sandra and Andrew Benge; daughter-in-law, Marilyn Benge; brother, Cecil (Diana) Cumpton; sister, Arlene (Vern) Byers; grandchildren, Matthew, Katie, Nicole and Henry; and great-grandchild, Averie.

She was preceded in death by her son, Larry Benge Jr.; parents, Cecil and Erna Cumpton; half brother, James Cumpton; and father- and mother-in-law, Leon and Neva Benge.

Memorials may be directed to the family.

Please share a memory of Carolyn at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.