Cain, Carol M.

Carol M. Cain, 65, of Iowa City, Iowa passed away Thursday, Dec. 10, 2009, after a courageous battle with lung cancer. A memorial gathering for Carol will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Lensing Funeral Home, 605 Kirkwood Ave., Iowa City. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society or Iowa City Hospice.

Carol was born Nov. 27, 1944 in Des Moines, Iowa, to Maxine (Penton) Gaudineer and Russell Gaudineer. She had one older sister, Annette, and one younger brother, Steve. They relocated to Iowa City when Carol was in second grade, attending Iowa City schools and graduating from Iowa City High School in 1962. She met Mike when they were 15. Carol married Michael Cain on Feb. 21, 1966, at Old Brick in Iowa City. They had one daughter, Lisa, in 1968. Carol graduated from University of Iowa in 1987.

Carol worked for over 30 years at The University of Iowa in many administrative and secretarial positions, including the Iowa Library, College of Nursing, Academic Affairs and UI College of Family Medicine, before retiring in 2002. She was a highly respected professional and exceptional colleague. Carol has made wonderful friends throughout her years at UI and treasured all the time she was able to spend with them. She was an avid Hawkeye fan, spending many years tailgating and attending Iowa football games as a season-ticket holder for 34 years and also was a season-ticket holder for the Iowa Women's Basketball team.

Carol loved traveling the country, enjoying a relaxing year long sabbatical around the US in a motor home with Mike. They both loved the Oregon coast and many other special places known only to them. Carol loved gardening and garden tours with friends. She loved getting together for the Essex Street parties. She especially loved decorating her home for all holidays, Fourth of July, Halloween and Christmas, attending thieves markets and the Iowa Arts Festival, Saturday morning trips to the Farmers Market, gambling anywhere and everywhere, and shopping trips to Kalona and Amana with family and friends. She enjoyed many memorable “Friday nights with the girls” - Carol, Jane, Phyllis and Ruth, getting together nearly every Friday night since their 40th birthdays. These special friends were so very important to Carol.

Carol cherished her family and made them her priority. She enjoyed holidays with the Cermaks. She loved spending special time with her sister Annette, whom she loved dearly. Carol was supporting and loving of her daughter, Lisa in all her endeavors and also to granddaughter, Amelia. Being a Grandma was truly the most important role of Carol's life. She cherished Amelia, enjoying music, musicals and movies, dancing to the Divas in dancing dresses, creating art projects and supporting Amelia during soccer, softball, dance and band. Carol and Mike were members of Amelia's Girl Scout Troop for several years. Carol had a wonderful laugh, a warm smile, loved cookies and milk, Cheerios and bananas and peanut butter toast, napping and snuggling with her kitties at home, Henry, Hazel and Sasha. She made every day with her family more special and she will be missed more than she could ever know.

Carol is survived by her loving husband of 43 years, Mike Cain; daughter, Lisa Cain; granddaughter, Amelia Cain, all of Iowa City; one sister Annette Hosier and husband Jerald Hosier of Collierville, Tenn.; stepmother, Marilyn Cermak and husband Joe of Iowa City; several nieces and nephews; extended family; and wonderful loving friends.

She was preceded in death by her mother; stepfather, Jay Montgomery; father; and one brother, Steven.

Online condolences and memories may be left for the family at under obituaries.