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The Gazette publishes obituaries on a daily basis. Use the search field above to search for obituaries by name or keyword. Readers can submit an obituary or submit a milestone to The Gazette. The obituary must be submitted before 1 p.m. for publication on thegazette.com at 6 p.m. and in the daily edition the next day, with the exception of obituaries for Sunday publication, which must be submitted by 1 p.m. on Fridays.
Carol Stroyan
CAROL STROYAN
Iowa City
Carol Stroyan of Johnson County died of Alzheimer's on Dec. 11, 2020. She had lived in Iowa since 1973, first in Iowa City, then in Clear Creek Township.
Carol was born in Scranton, Pa., daughter of Pauline Frances Wallace Wegrzyn and Walter Michael Wegrzyn. Her father, serving with the U.S. Navy in the South Pacific, didn't see her until months after her birth; a fact that made her all the more precious to him throughout his life.
Carol's childhood was spent in Dunmore, Pa., with loving parents, her sister, Judy, plus Grandma Wallace and Aunt Mary upstairs.
She earned her nursing diploma in Scranton and worked as an RN in Philadelphia, Pasadena and Medical Associates in Iowa City.
While on a nursing school rotation at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, she was introduced to Keith Stroyan, whom she married in June 1966. They lived in Philadelphia, Pa., Pasadena, Calif., and Madison, Wis., while Keith finished his studies.
In 1972, Carol gave birth to their daughter, Emily Laura Stroyan, now of Villa Park, Ill. Carol temporarily "retired" from nursing to be a full time mom while Emily was small. This included skillful sewing, cooking, immaculate housekeeping and loving care for Emily and Keith.
In 1990, Carol and Keith fulfilled a dream to live in the country. They raised Labrador retrievers and Carol was an avid flower gardener and had a big sewing room!
Carol was active in Iowa City schools, St. Thomas More Church, Quilt groups, a "Gourmet" group, Garden Club, and was a longtime volunteer at Iowa City Free Lunch, where before COVID-19 we planned a special lunch in her honor.
Carol's remains will be interred in her mother's grave in Pennsylvania at a family service.
Apply to Carol what her sister-in-law, Heather wrote for her own obituary, "Should you choose to remember her, do so by hugging a kid, helping someone less fortunate than yourself, making someone smile or performing a random act of kindness."
Online condolences may be sent to her family through the web at www.gayandciha.com.
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