Elise Pick, 72 of Carroll, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on August 15, 2025 at St. Anthony Regional Hospital.
A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, August 22, 2025 at Holy Spirit Church – St. John Paul II Parish in Carroll. The Celebrant will be Fr. Timothy Schott. Mass Servers will be Mia Milligan, Mallory Milligan, and Connor Milligan. Music will be by Jake Gute, Sherry Loughran, Joan Gronstal, and Claudia Halbur. The Lector is Kay Blessington. Gift Bearers will be Ella, Evan, Landry, Josie, Nora, Emmett, Warner, Carter, and Gemma Pick. Eucharistic Ministers will be Marty Halbur, Paul Milligan, and Lynn Wittrock. Burial will be in Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Carroll.
A visitation will be held from 4-7 p.m. on Thursday at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll with a Christian Wake Service at 7 p.m. Additional visitation will be from 9:30-10:15 a.m. on Friday at the church. Memorials may be left at the funeral home or the church for a later designation.
Funeral arrangements are under the guidance of the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll and online condolences may be left for the Pick family at www.sharpfuneral.com.
Elise, the daughter of Henry and Evelyn (Garrels) Auen, was born on September 30, 1952, in Lake City, Iowa. She grew up near Lake View and graduated from Lake View Auburn High School in 1970. She attended Luther College in Decorah, the University of Iowa and graduated from Iowa State University with majors in Psychology and Sociology. She later attended Buena Vista University obtaining her teaching degree.
On August 3,1974, she was joined in matrimony to Joseph Pick, at Saint Joseph’s Church in Wall Lake, Iowa. This union was blessed with four boys. They started their life together near Auburn and later moved their family to Carroll.
One word comes to mind when describing Elise: GIVER. She gave her musical talents by playing piano at church and as a music teacher at various schools. GIVER of her time to various charities including St. Anthony Hospital Auxiliary, P.E.O., and numerous other organizations. Elise’s grandest gift was of herself. Never did she think of herself but of others, whether that was Joe, her four boys, her daughters-in-law, friends or her nine grandchildren. Putting others first, providing a fabulous meal, picking out the perfect gift or just lending a listening ear, Elise was always willing to do what it took to make others happy.
She enjoyed traveling, cooking, reading, volunteering, playing bridge, and having coffee with her friends. More than anything, she loved being a grandma. She cherished every moment they shared—dance recitals, ball games, tractor rides, going to the beach, boating and all the little things.
She is survived by her husband, Joseph Pick of 51 years, her children: Aaron (Kelly) Pick of Carroll, and their children Ella, and Evan; Nathan (Kristin) Pick of San Diego, CA, and their children Carter and Gemma; Brad (Brigit) Pick of Carroll, and their children Landry and Josie; and Adam (Linsey) Pick of Carroll, and their children Nora, Emmett and Warner. She is also survived by her sisters Bonnie Richards of Sac City and Peggy (Richard) Mace of Sioux City. Her brothers and sisters-in-law: Bill (Patsy) Pick; Doug (Rachel) Pick; Debra Marqusee; Don Jr. (Margie) Pick; Kay (Gerry) Blessington; Diane Harrington; Robert (Shelly) Pick and many extended relatives and friends.
Elise was preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Evelyn Auen; her brother Kenneth Auen; her sister, Dorothy Gergis; her parents-in-law, Donald and Willa Mae (Poen) Pick and her brother-in-law Loren Richards.
