Carol Beth Jeske

Graveside Services will be held on Monday, February 9th, 2026 at 11:00 am at the Eldora City Cemetery in Eldora, Iowa. Pastor Aaron Hambleton will officiate.

Carol Beth was born on September 25, 1931, to Delmar and Betty Ahrens in Grinnell, Iowa. Following high school graduation, she enrolled at Iowa State University where she earned bachelors and masters degrees in home economics. While teaching in Waverly, Iowa, she met and married Walter E. Jeske, the local vocational agriculture instructor.

Walt and Carol Beth lived and worked in the Des Moines area for several years before moving to Arlington, Virginia, in 1965. Carol Beth continued teaching in the Arlington County school system after Walt’s death in 1981. Following retirement, she moved to Ankeny, Iowa, to be closer to relatives and friends. She joined a local book group, got together regularly with friends for coffee and lunch, and prepared tax returns part time with the H and R Block firm for several years. She was a woman of faith and regularly attended services at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Ankeny until she was no longer physically able to do so.

Carol Beth’s work-a-day world revolved around education and working with young people. She and Walt had no children of their own.

Carol Beth was preceded in death by her parents and husband; a sister, Marilee Bonyata; and a brother, David Ahrens. Surviving are two nieces, Betsy Upchurch and Rebecca Lambert of Monticello, Florida, and a nephew, Charles Bonyata of Prestonburg, Kentucky.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Mill Pond, 1201 SE Mill Pond Ct, Ankeny, IA 50021 or St. Croix Hospice, 1555 SE Delaware Ave Suite Q, Ankeny, IA 50021in loving memory of Carol.

Condolences may be left at www.ankenyfuneralhome.com for the Jeske family.