Carol Childress

Rock Rapids, IA

     Carol Childress age 78 of Spearfish, South Dakota, formerly of Rock Rapids, Iowa, died Saturday, September 4, 2021, at Monument Health in Spearfish, South Dakota.

     A funeral service will be 11:00 AM, Thursday, September 9, 2021 at Jurrens Funeral Home in Rock Rapids with Reverend Sarah Deutsch officiating.  Burial will follow in the Riverview Cemetery at Rock Rapids.

     Visitation will be one hour prior to the service with the family present at the Jurrens Funeral Home of Rock Rapids.

     Carol Jean Childress was born on February 24, 1943, in Rock Rapids, Iowa, the daughter of Clarence “Fuzzy” and Gertrude (Van Malsen) Feikema. She was raised on a family farm on the Minnesota/Iowa border. She graduated from Central Lyon High School in 1961.  She was united in marriage to Wayne Childress in 1962 at First Reformed Church in Rock Rapids. They moved to a farm near Alvord, IA and where blessed with four children, Doug, Cathy, Connie and Curtis. She helped with the day-to-day operation of the farm and raised her children. Carol later divorced and returned to school at Southeast Tech were she studied floral design. She worked at Echter’s Greenhouse in Sibley for many years before she lastly worked at Country Boutique in Rock Rapids. She retired in 2014 and moved in with her daughter, Cathy. They lived in Martin, SD, and De Smet, SD. In 2017 they moved to Spearfish, SD.

     Carol enjoyed decorating for every season and was an avid QVC shopper. She especially enjoyed travelling the U.S. Carol and Cathy shared several trips on the motorcycle to various parts of the country. She also enjoyed trips to Hawaii and Alaska.

     She is survived by her three children, Doug (Joley) Childress of Benson, AZ, Cathy Childress of Spearfish, SD and Curtis Childress of Valley Springs, SD; one granddaughter, Kayla (Connor) Farrell of Omaha, NE; one step-grandson, Chris (Kendra) Gibbins of Sioux Falls, SD; and several other extended family.

     She was preceded by her parents, Clarence “Fuzzy” and Gertrude Feikema; and her daughter, Connie Sue Childress.