Betty Pollastrini, 84 of Carroll, died Monday, September 10, 2018 at Sunnybrook of Carroll.
Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m., Friday, September 14, 2018 at St. John Paul II Parish – St. Lawrence Church. The Celebrant will be Fr. Timothy Schott. Music will be by Kate Cuddy, Jake Gute, Lynda Franey and the St. Lawrence Choir. Lector will be Julie Hukee. Gift Bearers will be Betty’s granddaughters. Eucharistic Ministers will be Kathy Stein and John and Diane Staples. Casket Bearers will be: Sam Yetmar, Peter Nelson, Jake Hukee, Luke Hukee, Tony Pollastrini, David Yetmar and Dave Nelson. The St. Anthony Hospital Auxiliary and St. Anthony Nurses Alumni Association will form an honor guard for the funeral mass. Burial will be in Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Carroll.
Friends may call at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll after 5 p.m. on Thursday where there will be a Christian Wake Service at 7 p.m. The casket will be moved to St. Lawrence Church on Friday morning where additional visitation will be held from 9:30-10:15 a.m.
Memorials may be left at the funeral home or the church for Kuemper Catholic Schools Foundation or Kindred Hospice.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll and online condolences may be left for Betty’s family at www.sharpfuneral.com.
Born on December 13, 1933 in Carroll, Iowa, Betty was the daughter of Leo and Anna (Soyer) Gute. She attended St. Angela’s Academy and later graduated from St. Anthony’s School of Nursing. While waiting tables at Pokey’s restaurant she met the love of her life and future husband, Raymond Pollastrini. Ray and Betty were united in marriage on October 18, 1954 at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Carroll.
Betty worked alongside her husband at Pokey’s and the copper kettle continued to be fired every fall to usher in the caramel apple season. Ray and Betty spent countless hours stirring the secret ingredients into caramel that has become legendary in the town of Carroll. In 1997, when the family business came to an end, the recipe was passed on to Betty’s daughter and son-in-law, Gina and Dave Nelson.
Betty spent her entire nursing career at St. Anthony Hospital in Carroll where she worked until 1983 and was also instrumental in bringing hospice care to Carroll. She loved caring for others, spending time with her family and being involved in her grandchildren’s activities.
Betty was a member of St. Lawrence Church, St. Anthony Hospital Auxiliary, St. Anthony Nurses Alumni Association, and a former member of the Kuemper School Board.
Betty is survived by her children: Julie (Bruce) Hukee of Urbandale, Mark (Cindy) Pollastrini of Newton, Maria (Jim) Huston of Des Moines, Gina (Dave) Nelson of Carroll, Paula (David) Yetmar of Carroll, and Dr. Matt (Dawn) Pollastrini of Waverly; 13 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; her sisters-in-law, Betty Gute of Carroll and Mickey Gute of Carroll; as well as many nieces, nephews, and other extended relatives.
Betty was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Raymond Pollastrini; and her brothers: Art Gute, Don Gute, and Wally Gute.
