Carol Mccuen

Carol G. McCuen, 69, of Casey, Iowa, passed away Monday, October 20, 2014, at Mercy Hospice in Johnston, Iowa.

Carol Gay McCuen was born May 18, 1945, to Carl and Lila Gay Kirkpatrick in Atlantic, Iowa.

She grew up on a farm outside of Casey with her two brothers and her sister, and loved the farm, her dad's horses, and twirling baton in high school. She graduated from Adair-Casey High School in 1963 and immediately married her high school sweetheart, Lloyd McCuen, in June 1963, with whom she spent the next 51 years.

Carol and Lloyd moved to Omaha where she worked and Lloyd went to mechanic school. A few years later, Carol went to school for accounting. Carol and Lloyd spent many years in the Omaha area, where he owned several service stations and she did accounting for Omaha Steaks International. This is where all three of their children were born, it was where they bought their first house, and it was where they established themselves as a successful couple and family.

In 1980, Carol and Lloyd moved from the "big city" to Lloyd's family farm east of Exira, Iowa. It was there that they took over the family farming operation. They also opened a service station in Exira. Carol worked many long hours on both the farm and at the station, in addition to having several other jobs; but it was being on the farm that she loved most, raising chickens and turkeys, planting flowers, having an enormous garden every year, canning, freezing, sewing, and raising her children.

In 1986, Carol and Lloyd moved to her family's farm just north of Casey, where they still farm today. From here, Carol spent many, many years driving to Des Moines to work, while still managing all her "projects" around the farm. It was usually Carol that you'd see in the tractor helping Lloyd in the field, or hauling grain to town. She worked a full time job, worked at the farm and spent a great deal of time helping with her grandchildren as well. Her grandchildren were her pride and joy and she spent a tremendous amount of time with them. She helped raise many of them and they are who they are, in a great part because of her.

In 1999, Carol and Lloyd also bought their first property in Shell Knob, MO, on Table Rock Lake, and since then Shell Knob and the lake have been a very important part of their lives. It was something that Carol loved and being there brought her great joy, especially quilting with the Chicks Quilting Club. The lake house is where Carol enjoyed her last summer, decorating their newest home there and planting roses to make it hers.

Carol was very engaged in her church everywhere she lived, especially in Casey, and served on countless church boards and committees. Carol was also a member of the Order of the Eastern Stars and held many officer positions. Carol served all those around her. She was an angel on Earth, who has now been returned to heaven.

Carol is survived by her husband, Lloyd; her children, Kurt (Teresa) McCuen of Benson, MN, Teresa (Dana) Garside of Grimes, IA, Lisa (Colby) McClung of Lincoln, NE; eight grandchildren, Tessa McCuen, Alicia Garside, Kara Garside, Lydia Garside, Sophia Garside, Mason McClung, Owen McClung and Bella McClung; two step-grandchildren, Brandon (Candace) Swagel and Chelsea Swagel; two step-great-grandchildren, Kennedi and Kyndall Swagel; one sister, Sondra (James) Plowman of Weslaco, TX; two brothers, Ken (Pat) Kirkpatrick of Seneca, IL and Todd (Connie) Kirkpatrick of Plymouth, IA; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Lila Gay and Carl Kirkpatrick; her nephew, Clint Kirkpatrick; and her step-great-grandson, Cohen Thielke.

Visitation with family will be from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m., Thursday, October 23, 2014, at Hockenberry Funeral Home in Adair, Iowa.

The funeral will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, October 24, 2014, at the United Methodist Church in Casey, Iowa, with burial in the Dalmanutha Cemetery.