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Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
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Kristin Carstensen
KRISTIN CARSTENSEN
Cedar Rapids
Kristin Carstensen, 61,
died Saturday, Nov. 25, 2017, at Lisbon Rehabilitation Center in Lisbon, Iowa.
Kristin was born March
21, 1956, in Clinton, Iowa. She graduated from Regis High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa, where she earned a degree in special education and early childhood development. While at UNI she was a member of Alpha Xi Delta sorority. She taught special education in Storm Lake and Newton, Iowa. After she retired from teaching, Kris was parks and recreation director in West Des Moines, Iowa, and Centerville, Iowa.
Kris enjoyed spending time with her Cairn Terrier, Missy, who was her pride and joy.
She also followed the Chicago Cubs, the Iowa Hawkeyes and celebrated the spirit of Christmas year- round.
Survivors include her parents, Jack and Pat Carstensen; siblings, John (Mary) Carstensen, Kelly (Robert) Trachta, Karlen (Thomas) Howard, Leslie (Brian) Anderson, Sarah (Jerome) Kramer and Kyle Carstensen; 13 nieces and nephews, Peter and Lura Carstensen, Tricia, Megan and Briana Gavin, Ryan, Chad and Allie Howard, Braden, Kirsten and Jack Anderson, Maximilian and Cecilia Kramer; several uncles; an aunt; and a great-nephew, Ethan Boll.
Preceding Kris in death were her niece, Kira Carstensen; her grandparents, Beatrice and Leon Cavanaugh and Detlef and Olivia Carstensen; several aunts; and an uncle.
Kristin struggled with a lifelong battle of Type 1 diabetes.
The family would like to extend gratitude to the many doctors who cared for her, in particular, Dr. Thomas McIntosh, Cedar Rapids, Dr. Saket Girotra and Dr. M.G. Abernathy from University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and Dr. Mark Hogenson from Lisbon Rehabilitation Center.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 30, at St. Matthew Catholic Church. Visitation will be Wednesday, Nov. 29, from 4 to 7 p.m., with a vigil service at 6 p.m., at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home. The Rev. Steve Garner will officiate.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hospice of Mercy, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, or Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, 1026 A Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402.
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