Larkin, Celeste

Celeste Larkin, 91, of Cedar Rapids, died Sunday, March 6, 2011, at Mercy Medical Center, Cedar Rapids. Funeral Mass: 10 a.m. Thursday, March 10, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Cedar Rapids, with the Rev. Christopher Podhajsky presiding. Visitation: 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Stewart Baxter Funeral & Memorial Services, Cedar Rapids, with a vigil service at 6 p.m. Burial: Mount Calvary Cemetery, Cedar Rapids.

Survivors include her children, Patty (Jim) Clarke of Iowa City, Mike (Ronnie) Larkin of Dubuque, Dennis (Connie) Larkin of Denver, Colo., and Jean (Jim) Tosoni of Omaha, Neb.; 11 grandchildren; and 14 great grandchildren, with another expected in May.

Also surviving is a sister, Genevieve Tucker of Floyds Knobs, Ind.; and two brothers, Gerald Dolan of San Diego, Calif., and Joseph Dolan of Wausau, Wis.

Celeste was born June 17, 1919, in Clinton, Iowa, the daughter of John and Ella (McLaughlin) Dolan. She graduated from St. Patrick's School in 1936. On Oct. 24, 1940, Celeste married Eugene Larkin in Cedar Rapids. Celeste had a lifelong commitment to caring for the families of her parish and school. She loved being around the students and helping them along the way by working in the cafeteria at Immaculate Conception and Regis schools for many years. Celeste also actively served as a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church for 67 years. She was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother who cherished her family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Eugene, who died in 2009; sister, Anita; and three brothers, Thomas, Robert and James.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Hospice of Mercy.

Please sign the online guest book and share a memory about Celeste at .