Carolyn Hollingworth

Carolyn Ann Hollingworth (Lethcoe) peacefully passed away in her home on Sunday December 6 at the age of 76 years. She was born to John Lethcoe Sr. and Corrine Lethcoe (Hartley) in Des Moines Iowa. Carolyn graduated near the top of her class at East High School and attended one year at Drake University before marrying David Hollingworth on July 3, 1964. Over their 56-year marriage, David and Carolyn, who were rarely seen without the other, shared a close bond that seemed to grow through the years. Carolyn was employed at American Federal Savings and Loan as a part-time floater teller while raising her sons, Robert Hollingworth and Mark Hollingworth. In 1996, she joined the team at the Polk County Attorney’s Office where she typed depositions for criminal cases, retiring in August, 2014.

Carolyn was a natural caretaker and cared for her father, mother and Aunt, Lillian Hartley as they aged and needed additional assistance. Her willingness to always make time to provide a listening ear, combined with her genuine interest in everyone around her, made her a great conversationalist with the ability to make those she interacted with feel valued and important. Once you were part of Carolyn’s life, she strove to keep you close and was the glue that held many things together. She coordinated a luncheon twice a year for a group of her friends from East High School. Carolyn was instrumental in making the holidays a special time. Always ready with homemade cookies and decked out in holiday specific attire, she greatly enjoyed playing games with the family. Carolyn had a big heart and often thought of others. She was active in her church’s card ministry and met regularly to create cards to offer condolences and comfort to countless people. She participated in a bowling league and definitely was the best bowler in her family and was proud of her personal best score of 206. Carolyn loved to travel, and she and David went on adventures together on multiple bus trips around the country.

Carolyn was preceded in death by her parents, John Lethcoe, Sr. and Corrine Lethcoe, as well as her brother, John Lethcoe, Jr. Carolyn is survived by her spouse, David Hollingworth, her sons and their spouses, Robert Hollingworth and Donita Faust and Mark Hollingworth and Cara Hollingworth (Haidsiak), and 3 grandchildren, Ian Hollingworth, Adrian Hollingworth, and Aleighla Hollingworth. Carolyn spent hours with her grandchildren, creating countless memories of exploring the woods together, making cookies and playing, often with the very toys her sons had enjoyed decades before.

Carolyn was one of those rare people, who seemed to become more adventurous with age, jet skiing for the first time at age 65. Carolyn definitely had a thrifty side and spent hours, travelling to multiple stores to find the best deal. She also was convinced she may need something in the future, making it difficult for her to part with anything. With her basement full and most closets bursting at the seams, Carolyn could, more times than not, miraculously locate items she was looking for and would emerge from the basement with long forgotten childhood toys or other items. Although small in stature and generally meek in disposition, Carolyn prodded those she loved to make the right decisions, with the tenacity of a bull dog when she thought they were making a mistake. Carolyn was a devoted wife, a loving mother, a dependable friend, a fun grandmother and a hard worker and will be missed by many.

There will be a private graveside memorial service for the family on Thursday, December 17 at 1:00 p.m., which will be live streamed via Hamilton’s Funeral Home’s website (www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com ). Any memories of Carolyn’s life that you would like to share can be posted on Highland Memory Gardens Cemetery web site (highlandmemorygardens.com). In lieu of gifts or flowers, please make a charitable contribution to the card ministry at Mission Church 12001 Ridgemont Drive, Urbandale IA 50323 or to Hope Ministries at their web site: hopeiowa.org.

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