Obituaries : Carol Ireland

Carol Ireland, 79, of Belle Plaine, IA passed away May 23, 2022 after a short battle with cancer.

She was born May 25, 1942 in Cedar Rapids, IA. Carol was raised in Cedar Rapids, graduating from Jefferson High School, class of 1960. She married Leland Ireland in 1961. They lived in Arizona and Texas, had two children and later divorced. Carol was a gifted women with many talents. She had a life-long passion for music; playing the baritone and piano, singing alongside her father, brother and sister as her mother accompanied the quartet in many different churches. She sang in school choirs and as a member of "Sweet Adelines".

Carol was a commissioned oil-painter, produced several stunning pieces of stained-glass art and was an award-winning seamstress. She sewed costumes for her beloved "Sweet Adelines", the appearance outfits for her niece representing "Little Miss Iowa" and surpassed a few brides' dreams with bridesmaid and flower girl dresses. Most notably, she was a quilter. Carol took several 1st Place and "1st in Show" awards in fairs and other quilting competitions and was asked to judge several contests because of her name as a quilter. Other quilters rave about her unparalleled skill on a sewing machine. The family have all become recipients of graduation, wedding, nursery and other beautiful quilted gifts. Carol generously contributed lap quilts to several charities, for benefits, to children's hospitals, to veteran's homes and local care centers. Her yard was her pride and joy routinely winning 'Yard of the Month' with her extensive, creative landscaping. She was proud to have become the first woman in Houston, TX appointed to be President of the Little League Baseball Association. She was a wealth of information and knew trivia second to none. She traveled extensively throughout the US and Europe, but her heart was always in Texas.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Joseph Frank (Babe) Novak Jr. and Ethel Howland Novak.

She is survived by her son, Troy (Nicole) Ireland of Conroe, TX; daughter, TJ (Richard) Schoeneberg of Frisco, TX; brother, Joseph Frank (Sonja) Novak III of Cedar Rapids, IA; sister, Kay (Leon) Batey of Belle Plaine, IA; grandchildren, Aubrey, Kerby and Brock Ireland, Ryan and Conor Schoeneberg.

The family would like to thank the Batey family for all of their care for Mom the last chapter of her life.

Service is 2:30 p.m. Saturday, May 28, 2022 at Hrabak-Neuhaus Funeral Service, Belle Plaine. Private family burial will take place at Oak Hill Cemetery, Belle Plaine.

Visitation is 5-7 p.m. Friday, May 27, 2022 at the funeral home. Online condolence can be sent to the family at www.neuhausfuneralservice.com