Carlton Lake

CARLTON B. LAKE, M.D.

Cedar Rapids

Carlton B. Lake, M.D., 90, died July 28, 2019, at the Dennis & Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy surrounded by his family. Funeral Mass is at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 2, at St. Matthew Church officiated by Father Don Czapla with burial following at Mount Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 1, at Cedar Memorial Funeral Home and one hour before Mass Friday at the church.

Carlton was born to Leonilla (Steger) and Al Lake on Feb. 5, 1929, in his family apartment above his father's hardware store across from the Mississippi River in Guttenberg, Iowa. He graduated from St. Mary's High School, Loras College and the University of Iowa College of Medicine. After an internship at Hurley Hospital in Flint, Mich., he served for two years in the U.S. Army Hospital at Fort Benning, Ga. Carlton joined Drs. Lehr & Aschoff to form Family Practice Associates in Cedar Rapids, where he practiced for 40 years. Following his retirement, he volunteered at the Community Health Free Clinic for many years. He was an old-fashioned family physician who made house calls, delivered babies, assisted in surgeries and taught residents. He took a very personal interest in all of his patients and missed them when he retired. He was an active staff member at Mercy and St. Luke's hospitals, was board certified by the American Academy of Family Physicians, was a member of county and state medical societies, and participated in numerous patient care and advisory boards and committees.

On Aug. 22, 1953, he married Wilma Steffen at Holy Trinity Church in Luxemburg, Iowa. In addition to his busy family life raising five children, he enjoyed music, the arts and the outdoors as an avid hunter, fisherman, golfer, sailor and skier. He was a diehard fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes, Chicago Cubs and Green Bay Packers. During his retirement, he felt fortunate to travel and spend winter months in Naples, Fla.

He is survived by his devoted wife of almost 66 years; his children, Jeffrey and Andrew of Cedar Rapids, Joseph (Leila Stortz) of Minneapolis, Minn., Dr. Peter (Dr. Ulrike Kuhnle) of Madison, Wis., and Dr. MaryBeth (Joe Hasson) of Evanston, Ill.; and grandchildren, Michaelen (Jared) Sundstrom and Weston Lake of Minneapolis, Alexandra (Will) Fox of Cincinnati, Ohio, Steffen (Katherine) Lake of Atlanta, Ga., and Caroline Lake and Annie and Charlie Hasson of Chicago. He also is survived by a sister, JoAnn Auer; and nieces and nephews, Mary (Mike) Tangemann, Diane (Hess), John (Sandy) Auer, Dr. Linda (David) Brown, Grace Heitman, Gloria (Sean) Maxwell and Dr. David (Misty) Auer. Also surviving is a brother-in-law, Dr. Dennis (Kay) Steffen.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by an infant son, Christopher; brother-in-law, Dr. George Auer; and niece, Lisa (Auer) Hagan.

The family extends their sincere gratitude to Dr. Mary Anne Nelson for her loving care, the staff of Cottage Grove Place and Dennis & Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy.

Memorial donations may be directed to St. Matthew Church, Community Health Free Clinic, both in Cedar Rapids, or a charity of choice.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.cedarmemorial.com.