Carol Lynn (Kragenbrink) State

Carol Lynn State, 82, of Edgewood, Iowa, passed away on Wednesday, August 16, 2023, at the Edgewood Convalescent Home in Edgewood, Iowa.  Carol Lynn Kragenbrink was born on her grandparents’ farm near Earlville Iowa, the youngest of five children, to William Henry and Margaret Ida (Yelden) Kragenbrink on November 19th, 1940.  Carol’s early life was spent in the challenging times of the mid-1940s in a home with limited financial resources but an abundance of love and commitment to one another.  Carol was studious and enjoyed her classmate’s friendship, graduating in a class of 16 in 1958 from Earlville High School. 

Carol married R. Dean State in 1959 and they soon began a family in 1960, raising five children primarily at their farm just south of Manchester.  Carol was a committed mother and caretaker that always put her kids’ interests before her own.  The farm crisis of the early 1980s presented life-changing decisions for the couple which sadly lead to the dissolution of the marriage union.   Carol moved on from this trying time and started working at the Regional Medical Center as well as a local insurance company before she turned to her true calling, helping raise young children. 

She began a 30-year span of helping raise the children of many parents who knew that there was no one they could trust their kids with more than Carol. She was a full or part time nanny for so many kids along with her own grandchildren that often she would be booked weeks or months in advance. She loved all of them like they were her own and developed a bond with them that she cherished until her passing.  Carol relocated to Denver, Colorado in 1998 and spent the next several years living and continuing to work with young children, much of her time dedicated to special needs kids, often those with autism.  Her desire to be useful and her giving heart led her down a lifetime path of bringing joy and comfort to others.  She loved working with these special children and their families, often becoming one of only a few people that they would trust. 

Carol was also deeply involved with the Lutheran Church. When she moved to Colorado, she spent almost every Sunday for years working in the nursery at God’s Grace Community Church where every family knew and loved her, as well as their children who always looked forward to seeing her.

In her free time, Carol was a big fan of the Denver Nuggets, a Wendy’s Frosty, and holding weekend garage sales. She took great joy in the Christmas holiday and was widely known for her homemade holiday treats.

In her mid-70s Carol finally retired and began living in an independent living facility in Denver, Colorado where she continued to serve others by running the facility gift shop and helping others whenever possible.  She returned to her roots in Iowa in 2018 and lived in the area where she had spent her formative years until her passing.  Carol always wanted to be remembered as someone that would help others.  In the final years in independent and assisted living she was frequently trying to assist staff with tasks such as laundry and cleaning, it was just in her nature to try to contribute.   Her final contribution is yet to be completed as she has donated her body to the medical school at the University of Iowa to further education and medical research.

Carol is survived by her five children: Jeffrey (Cindy) of Manchester, Scott (Angie) of Scottsdale, Arizona, Cathy (Mike) Corkery of Manchester, Angie (David) Mullinix of Ocala, Florida, and Mary Jo Bruner of Parker, Colorado as well as her ten grandchildren Anna Drees, Gabrielle Wessels, Gage State, Michaela Corkery, Rylee State, Claire State, Audrey State, Jared Mullinix, Brooke Bruner, and Charli Bruner and five great grandchildren.  She is also survived by her sister, Joanne (Jim) Laxson of North Liberty; sisters-in-law Melody Kragenbrink of Urbandale, and Carol Kragenbrink of Northwood,  and cousin Maralyn (George) Burnside of Des Moines. She was preceded in death by her parents, sister Virginia, and brothers William (Bud) and Eugene, and sister-in-law Kay Kragenbrink.

  In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the Autism Society of America.  

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