Carole V. Midthun

Graveside services will be held on Tuesday, January 14, 2025 at 11:00 am at Resthaven Cemetery, 801 19th St, West Des Moines, IA 50265. Visitation will be held from 10:00 am until 11:00 am at McLaren's Resthaven Chapel, 801 19th St, West Des Moines, IA 50265.

Carole was born on February 13, 1938 in Des Moines, Iowa to Vernon and Margaret (Kasick) Shoafstall. She graduated from Valley High School in West Des Moines in 1956. Carole was united in marriage to Bernard Orville Midthun on December 2, 1955 at St. Mark's Lutheran Church in West Des Moines, Iowa. There were two children to this union, Donald Gale Midthun and Margaret Mae (Midthun) Oakes. After high school, she was a homemaker for her family.

Carole enjoyed painting, arts and crafts and being a caregiver for her friends and family over the years. Most of all, she dearly loved to spend time with her family.

Carole is survived by her daughter, Margaret (James) Oakes; granddaughter, Tiffini Shepard; great granddaughter, Andrea Shepard, and two great great grandsons, Zackariah and Zander Lucas. She is preceded in death by her husband, Bernard Orville Midthun; parents, Vernon and Margaret Shoafstall; son, Donald Gale Midthun; brother, Ralph Shoafstall, and cat, Pumpkin.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family and will be given to a charity of their choosing at a later date in memory of Carole.

Words from Carole's daughter:

Mother's obituary indicated that she was a homemaker. I couldn't let her go without a few words. She was so much more than that. It does not mention all the Barbie clothes she sewed for me, all the times she drove me around so I could sell Campfire cookies, or gave me motherly advice (and sometimes scolding). Or that she was a caregiver to 11 family members or that she visited, brought goodies and homemade crafts to numerous friends and acquaintances that she knew over the years. When I was young Mom and Dad had a circle of friends they loved to play cards with and many times we all went tent camping together. She loved butterflies, collected clocks that at last count numbered 140. Thanks to Bob Ross she taught herself how to paint and got quite good at it. She loved taking pictures. We found her stash and probably have at least a thousand pictures to reminisce through. She loved to craft and to share what she had made. She learned how to make wine (even though whatever flavor she made was about 500 proof). She collected salt and pepper shakers and at one time had over 1,000 sets. Cooking was not her forte. When I was growing up I thought burnt food was the way food was supposed to taste.

My Mom was a spunky and strong willed lady. While she was an impatient woman she was always thoughtful and kind to everyone. I am proud to be her daughter. My husband and I will miss her greatly but take solace in the many lives she touched over the years and know that she is no longer in pain.