Carma Imogene Hutchins

June 1, 1928, was a pleasant spring evening with yellow roses blooming when Carma Imogene, the fifth and youngest daughter of Clyde Lewis and Susan (Law) Hogueisson, was born on her parents’ farm in Melville Township, Audubon County, Iowa. Carma died peacefully on July 15, 2020, at the Exira Care Center in Exira, Iowa at the age of 92 years, 1 month, and 14 days.

Carma was baptized and confirmed at the Lone Star Church east of Audubon. She attended rural elementary school at Melville #4 and then went to the Audubon High School, graduating with the Class of 1945 with an emergency teacher certificate. Carma followed the family tradition and began teaching at Melville #3. She taught for two years then decided to change her profession and studied at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa for one year. There was a shortage of teachers, so the superintendent of Viola Consolidated Schools offered her a teaching position for the junior high school students. Carma taught there for three years. During this time she met the love of her life Leslie Dean Hutchins.

On August 9, 1951, she was united in marriage to Leslie Dean Hutchins. Together they raised five children: Cheryl, Robert, Nancy, Teresa, and Leslie. During the next 17 years, Carma worked toward earning her degree while still teaching for 12 of those years at Kimballton Independent and Elk Horn Community Schools. She took summer classes, night classes, Saturday classes, and TV courses in order to complete her degree, which she did in January of 1968, receiving her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Drake University. The family then moved to Audubon, and Carma taught in the Audubon Community Schools for more than 23 years, retiring in 1991.

Dean and Carma enjoyed going to dances, watching stock car races, and visiting Iowa’s courthouses that had been built before 1940, in addition to visiting many of the state capitals.

Carma was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Audubon. After her retirement from teaching she was able to participate in many church activities and other organizations. She taught Sunday school and vacation Bible school for 35 years, was the clerk of the Church Session for 37 years, and was active in the women’s organization. Carma was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma and served as treasurer of the Beta Zeta Chapter for more than 20 years. She was a member of the local retired teacher’s organization, a member of the Audubon Federated Women’s Organization for more than 30 years, and a member of the American Legion Auxiliary to help the veterans. She had a special interest in Audubon County Tourism and the Audubon Historical Society. With a friend, Carma worked to get the Audubon county courthouse on the National Register of Historical Buildings. She spent many enjoyable hours doing family genealogy and was able to trace the various family trees for many decades.

Preceding her in death were her beloved husband; her caring daughter, Nancy; her devoted son-in-law, Johnie Nelson; her helpful nephew, Eugene Taggart; her lifelong favorite cousin, Buddy Law; her parents; her sisters: Thelma and husband Dale Taggart, Norma Hogueisson, Wilma and husband Edwin Duvall, and Arlene and husband Neale Zellmer; her mother-in-law and father-in-law, Jack and Hazel Hutchins; her sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law: Lois and husband George Oakley, Kathy Hutchins, Lucile and husband Alfred Baier, Doris and husband Harold Akers, and Bill and wife Joann Hutchins; Cheryl, Bob, Nancy, and Teresa’s honorary mother, Mabel Madsen; and Leslie’s honorary mother, Sigrid Rasmussen.

Survivors include her children: Cheryl and husband Max Christman of Nixa, Missouri; Robert Hutchins and wife Marla Nelson of Glendale, California; Teresa and husband Mark McLaughlin of Audubon; and Leslie Herdman of Kansas City, Missouri; her son-in-law, Craig Wanninger of Audubon; her honorary daughter, Louise Duvall of Urbandale, Iowa; her grandchildren: Ben and wife Marissa Christman, Ali Christman, Grant and wife Antonia Hutchins, Jess Wanninger and Miranda Bills, Luke and wife Farran Wanninger, Justin and wife Kim Nelson, Robbie Nelson and Staisha Wilson, Megan and husband Dustin Veldhuizen, Matt and wife Amy McLaughlin, Andrew Herdman, Ashley Herdman, and Aaron Herdman; her great-grandchildren: Ryder and Rhett Ragan; Adalynn Christman; Johnathan and Emma Nelson; Holden, Madden, and Peyton Veldhuizen; and Riley McLaughlin; her brothers-in-law, Frank Hutchins of Norwalk, Iowa, and Gary and wife Rhonda Hutchins of Roswell, New Mexico; as well as many nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.

The family will meet with friends Tuesday afternoon, July 21, 2020, from 1:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Audubon, Iowa. Funeral services will be conducted by Pastor Steven Frock on Tuesday afternoon July 21, 2020, at 2:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Audubon. Interment will be in the Maple Grove Cemetery in Audubon. Honorary casket bearers will be Ali Christman, Megan Veldhuizen, and Ashley Herdman. Casket bearers will be Ben Christman, Grant Hutchins, Jess Wanninger, Luke Wanninger, Justin Nelson, Robbie Nelson, Matt McLaughlin, Andrew Herdman, and Aaron Herdman.

The family request that those attending the service to please wear a mask.



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