Margaret Carolan

Margaret E. Carolan age 89 of Des Moines, formerly of Lawler, IA, died Monday, June 11, 2018, at 3801 Grand Assisted Living in Des Moines. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:30 a.m. Friday, June 15, 2018, at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church in Lawler with Rev. Kyle Digmann celebrating the Mass. Interment will be in the church cemetery. Friends may greet the family beginning at 9:00 a.m. at the church on Friday. Margaret Emily Carolan was born June 18, 1928, in Festina, IA, the daughter of Hugo and Catherine (Etteldorf) Schupanitz. She received her education in Festina and was a 1946 graduate of the Calmer High School. Margaret worked a brief period as a secretary for the Calmar Manufacturing Company. At a dance in Spillville, IA, she met her future husband, Gene Carolan. The couple were married on April 14, 1951at Our Lady of Seven Dolors Catholic Church in Festina. To this union seven sons were born.Gene and Margaret lived on their home place, south of Lawler from 1956-1996 at which time they moved to Decorah. Gene died on November 9, 1999 and Margaret continued living in Decorah until moving to the assisted living in Des Moines in 2015. Margaret loved gardening, raising her roses and working on ceramics. She was a longtime member of the Catholic Daughters of the America’s. Margaret will be remembered by her sons as an excellent cook and baker, providing for her family and those helping on the farm. She will be dearly missed. Survivors include six sons, Tom (Eileen) Carolan of Lawler, Steve (Sherri) Carolan of Decorah, Dan (Laurie) Carolan of Lawler, Ron (Tammy) Carolan of Fredericksburg, Terry (Maura) Carolan of Omaha, Mark (Leann) Carolan of West Des Moines; daughter-in-law, Gail Carolan of Waucoma; 17 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; brother, John Schupanitz of Cedar Rapids; sisters-in-law, Mary Schupanitz of Minneapolis, Shirley Carolan of Decorah, Kay Carolan of Rochester, MN; brother-in-law, Paul Carolan of AZ. She was preceded in death by her husband, Gene; one son, Gerald Carolan; brother, Carl Schupanitz; sister, Marcella Sutton.