Mary M. Tigges

May 30, 1934 - January 1, 2021

A link to Mary's Funeral Mass can be found at this link: https://youtu.be/Ja3eejze4Uo Mary M. Tigges, 86, of Carroll, Iowa passed away on Friday evening, January 1, 2021 at Accura Healthcare of Carroll. She was surrounded by close family and those who cared for her. Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, January 6, 2021 at St. John Paul II Parish – Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Carroll. The Celebrant will be Fr. Kevin Richter. Music will be by Jane Heithoff. Lectors will be Rachel Tigges and Tyler Tigges. Casket Bearers will be Mary’s nephews. Burial will be at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Carroll. A public viewing, without greeting the family, will be held from 9:30 to 10:00 a.m on Wednesday at the church. Those in attendance are required to wear a face covering and abide by current social-distancing guidelines. Should one desire, memorials may made out to Mary Tigges Family and mailed to Sharp Funeral Home, 226 W. 8th St., Carroll, IA, 51401. A recording of Mary's funeral will be made available 24 hours following the service, at Sharp Funeral Home, Carroll, IA YouTube page. Funeral arrangements are under the guidance of Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll, and online condolences may be left for Mary's family at www.sharpfuneral.com. Mary was born on May 30, 1934, in Omaha, Nebraska to Edward and Bernice (O'Brien) Hanlon. She attended St. Agnes grade school in South Omaha. She went on to St. Mary's High School and graduated in 1952. Her early years were marked by visits to the bakery across the street, downtown shopping trips with her mother, going to movies and to the library with her older brother, and other adventures around the city with her beloved aunts and uncles. She developed a deep love of music at an early age and went on to excel as a singer in high school and beyond. She continued to sing for weddings of family and friends for many years. After high school, Mary entered St. Catherine School of Nursing, Creighton University, graduating as an RN in 1955. While in nurses' training, she was introduced by a good friend to Donald Tigges, from Carroll, IA, and they were married at St. John's Church at Creighton University on November 19, 1955. They moved to a farm north of Willey, IA. While building their life together on the farm, Mary's devotion to nursing continued to be a focal point. In addition to working as a school nurse for many years, her life was centered around their four children, their family, both nearby and in Omaha, her Catholic faith, and her many, many deep and lasting friendships. Mary and Don eventually moved to Carroll and she continued to work as a nurse at Farmland in Denison until 1996. In retirement, she utilized her flair for style by working at Mimi's, a clothing boutique in Carroll. She was an avid reader, politically involved, and she and Don also enjoyed traveling and attending their grandkids' many musical and sporting events. Mary's nursing skills were lovingly offered while caring for Don for a number of years before he entered the nursing home. Even after she joined him there, the nurses appreciated her willingness to give them a hand with various tasks. The Tigges family could not be more grateful to the nurses who cared for both Mary and Don. Mary's Irish eyes, forever smiling, and her heart, forever singing, will lift our spirits whenever we think of her. Mary is survived by: her four children, Brian Tigges and his wife Michelle(Rupiper) of Johnston, Marty Tigges of Arcadia, Kristie Tigges, of Minneapolis, MN, and Anne Tigges of Carroll; two grandchildren, Tyler Tigges and his wife Meaghan of Urbandale, and Rachel Tigges of New York, NY; four great- granddaughters, Mairin, Sloane, Camryn, and Quinn Tigges; her sisters-in-law, Ruth Ann Tigges of Carroll, Carolyn Sovich of Ormond Beach, FL, Mary Jane (Morrie) Schenkelberg of Sioux City, Rosalie (Jon) Davis of Reed Springs, MO, Mary K. Tigges, of Carroll, and Velma Tigges of Carroll and many beloved nieces and nephews. She was very recently preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, Don. Also preceding her were her parents, Bernice and Edward Hanlon, brother Edward Hanlon, sister-in-law Alyce Hanlon, father and mother-in-law Alphonse and Elizabeth Tigges, and brothers-in-law Walt Tigges, Jerry Tigges, and Frank Sovich.