Carol Louise Schroeder Foss, 88 years, of Fort Madison, Iowa died Thursday, April 27, 2023 at the Southeast Iowa Regional Hospice House, West Burlington, Iowa. She was born March 14, 1935 at Fort Madison, Iowa, a daughter of J. Robert Sr. and Gertrude (Boddeker) Schroeder. On September 25, 1954, she married Walter Robert “Bob” Foss at Buffalo, New York. They were married 60 years before he preceded her in death on January 20, 2015.
Carol was born and raised in Fort Madison, Iowa. She graduated from St. Joseph’s High School and then attended Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Carol was a homemaker and a travel consultant. She and her husband, Bob, owned and operated Tri-Town Travel in Vernon, Connecticut for 20 years. In 2010, they returned to Fort Madison. She was Catholic and an active member of Holy Family Parish, Fort Madison. She was a member of the Lions Club for over 30 years, serving in Vernon, Connecticut being the 7th woman to join the Lions Club and the first female president of a Lions Club chapter in the country. She also served as President in Fort Madison for two years, and in 2017 she received the Melvin Jones Humanitarian Award for service. She taught a travel course at MCTC (Manchester Community Technical College) for 10 years. Carol was also a member of North Lee County Historical Society, Old Settlers Park Association, Monday Afternoon Study Club, P.E.O., Chapter KV, Holy Family Parish Altar Society and Main Street Committee.
She is survived by four daughters: Jennifer (Steve) Cordova, of California; Kathryn (Michael) Brown, of Connecticut; Peggy (Heather Fairchild) Foss, of New Hampshire; Sarah (David Bonazza) Foss, of Portugal; two sons, Jeffrey (Sheila) Foss, of Connecticut and Christopher (Ellen) Foss, of Ohio; one sister, Patricia Kious, of Fort Madison, Iowa; 14 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren and many dear nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, one brother J. Robert Schroeder Jr., and two sisters, Janice Robinson and Phyllis Lutwack.
Her family will greet friends for a visitation from 5:00 - 6:30 pm Tuesday, May 2, 2023 at the Barr Memorial Chapel, Fort Madison with a Christian Wake to follow at 6:30 pm Tuesday evening. Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 am Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at Ss. Mary and Joseph Church, Holy Family Parish, with Reverend John Stack as Celebrant. Following the services her body will be cremated and private Catholic Committal Service and burial will be at Claypoole Cemetery, Wever, Iowa. A memorial has been established for Holy Family Parish, Holy Trinity Catholic Schools, and the North Lee County Historical Society, contributions may be left at the church or the Barr Memorial Chapel. Barr Memorial Chapel is honored to serve the Foss Family and an online guest book may be made at the Barr Memorial Chapel website, www.barrmemorialchapel.com.
