Carol Hayden Vest

Carol Hayden Vest

Cedar Rapids

Carol Hayden Vest, 89, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, died Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022. Private family inurnment will be held at the Linwood Cemetery Mausoleum in Cedar Rapids. A service will be held on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023, at Asbury United Methodist Church. Visitation at 11 a.m. with service to begin at noon and lunch to follow Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Cedar Rapids is assisting the family.

Carol Joyce Hayden was born April 21, 1933, in Brooklyn, Pa., the daughter of Leta (Cooley) and Hallie I. Hayden Sr. She was raised in Nicholson, Pa. Carol was united in marriage to Donald Vest on Feb. 24, 1962, in Binghamton, N.Y. She worked as a paraprofessional, volunteered and was also a piano accompanist for the Cedar Rapids Community School District. At Asbury United Methodist Church, Carol’s voice rang out in the choir for many years. She also volunteered with the kid’s club and served on several committees. Carol was a crafty, funny wordsmith who enjoyed puzzles and word games. Hundreds of kids knew her as “Grandma Carol.” Carol loved singing and listening to her family sing karaoke.

Survivors include her children, Marilyn Struchen, Joanne Vest (Dale Sheets) and Gary Vest (Shawn Fitzsimmons), all of Cedar Rapids; grandchildren, Sammy (Michal) Kray, Andrew (Ashlee) Gutshall, Morgan Vest (Dustin Bumgarner), Vivian Vest, Aaron Gutshall (Alyssa Schlicht), Alexa Gutshall, Hayden Vest, Austin Vest and Jasmine Vest; and great-grandchildren, Sophie and Jordy Bumgarner, Theo and Liam Kray.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Leta and Hallie I. Hayden Sr.; husband, Donald; and six siblings, Ed, Lucille, Hallie Jr., Dave, Oliver and Betty.

The family would like to thank the staff at Home Instead and The Gardens for their care and companionship.

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