Gates, Carol Ann (Grudem) 1941 - 2024

GATES, GRUDEM, TIEDEMANN, JOHNSON, MARTINDALE, GIBBS, KIME

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 10/12/2024 at 16:48:43

Carol Ann Gates died peacefully after a brief illness October 2, 2024 at her home surrounded by her family.

Carol was born to Clifford G. and Helen A. (Tiedemann) Grudem January 22, 1941 in Zumbrota, Minnesota. Carol spent her entire childhood in Zumbrota, graduating from Zumbrota High School in 1959. She played clarinet and piano. She graduated from the Daniel O’Brian’s School of Hair Design and Cosmetology in Rochester, MN in 1960 but never pursued it as a career. She employed her skills doing hair for friends and family over the years.

Carol met her husband Richard “Dick” Gates on a blind date where they saw “Gunfight At The OK Corral” at the drive in theater. Carol went home and told her cousin she met the man she was going to marry. She says Dick didn’t stand a chance! Dick and Carol were married in 1959.

Carol and Dick built a house in Rochester and shortly after Mark came along and Matt three years later. In 1964 they moved to a farm by Kendallville, IA and Jenny came the next year. Dick farmed and milked cows. They moved to a farm on the Golden Ridge Road northwest of Cresco, IA in 1971 where they have lived until the present. Carol loved her home on the farm and told her children she never wanted to leave. She remained true to her desires dying at the place she adored.

Carol was a homemaker and farm wife until around 1972 when she became the bookkeeper for Hanson Tire in Cresco. following many years there she went to work as bookkeeper for Quam’s Auto Service and Salvage west of Cresco until she retired in 2020.

Carol enjoyed going to see Brad Boice perform as an Elvis impersonator and also as a gospel singer in churches. She and her friend Sharon Burnikel were “groupies”. They often traveled great distances to see Brad perform donning their groupie t-shirts. She and Dick also participated in traveling on Brad’s bus trips.

Carol was an avid reader. You would often find her reading when you came to visit. She has hundreds of novels in multiple bookshelves. She read many books more than a few times. She loved reading to her kids, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Carol was an active church member at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Lime Springs where she taught Sunday School for many years. She insisted that the luncheon at her funeral was done by the church ladies. She loved the Lord and expressed that she knew where she was going and was not afraid.

Carol had a soft spot in her heart for cats and typically had a few tame and feral cats she fed. Her most recent house cat “Scooter” was near and dear to her heart. When she was hospitalized, she missed Scooter greatly. He was a comfort to her after Dick passed away.

Carol was a kind, generous person who was universally liked. She had an acerbic wit and a mischievous sense of humor.

She was preceded in death by her husband Dick, parents Clifford and Helen Grudem, brother Craig and great-grandson Ethan.

Carol is survived by her brother John Grudem (Elaine), sister-in-law Judy Grudem, sons Mark Gates and Matthew Gates (Deanna), daughter Jenny Johnson (Brad); grandchildren: Brandon Gates (Cindy), Jenna Martindale, Christina Gibbs (Brady Kime), Mallory Gates (Isiah), Nathan Gates (McKenzie), Alex Gates and Bailey Gates (Katie Witt); great-grandchildren: Ana, Talan, Liam, Hudson, Gabe, Kylee, Lexie, Ellie, Liliana, Irving and Jordan (Gigi). She was also survived by two special young ladies, Carly Heimerdinger and Kenedy Reichert. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews and godchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00am on Saturday, October 19, 2024 at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Lime Springs. Visitation will be held from 4-7:00pm on Friday, October 18, 2024 at Schmelzer Funeral Home (formerly known as Lindstrom Funeral Home) in Cresco, and again an hour prior to services at the church on Saturday morning.

Source: Schmelzer Funeral Home database