Carol Lynn State – Edgewood

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 19 th , 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.

A memorial service will be held in the coming weeks with a future inurnment at the Earlville Cemetery. In lieu of flowers the
family requests donations be made to the Autism Society of America.

Leonard-Muller Funeral Home in Manchester is assisting the family.

Online condolences may be sent to www.leonard-mullerfh.com.