Virginia Carlin, 95, of Breda, died Saturday, January 24, 2026, at Azria Health in Winterset.
A Funeral Mass be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, February 2, 2026, at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Breda. The Celebrant will be Father Terry Roder. Music will be by Jane Heithoff and Lyndsey Slater. The Lectors are Zach Moss, Kiana Rohner, Jacob Sander, Samantha Moss and Michelle Hoffman. The Gift Bearers are Emmalynn Rohner, Alexis Rohner, Sydney Slater Jr. and Chloe Hoffman. Barb Smith will be the Eucharistic Minister. The Urn Bearer is Richard Carlin. Honorary Bearers are Jim Ulveling, Mary Ann Huegerich, Carlin Okirie and Luka Okirie. Burial will be in St. Bernard’s Cemetery in Breda.
A visitation will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, February 1, 2026, at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll, with Prayer Service at 7 p.m. The Calhoun County Nurses’ Honor Guard will then provide honors. Additional visitation will be held from 9:30 a.m. until 10:15 a.m. on Monday at the church prior to the Mass.
In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests memorial donations be made to the St. Anthony’s Nursing Foundation or Carroll High School Alumni Foundation.
Funeral services are under the guidance of the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll and online condolences may be left for Virginia’s family at www.sharpfuneral.com.
Virginia Ann Ricke Carlin was born April 14, 1930, to Arthur H and Nellie (Fee) Ricke. She was a lifelong resident of Breda, Iowa and Saint Bernard’s Catholic Church. Virginia attended Carroll High School graduating in 1947. Later, she attended St. Anthony’s School of Nursing graduating in 1951. Virginia met John Martin Carlin at Western Grocers in Carroll, where he was a salesman who delivered goods to her father’s store, Ricke General Store in Breda. John & Virginia were married on October 1,1951 at St. Bernards in Breda. They welcomed their daughter, Roxanne (Rohner), in 1952 and their son, Richard, in 1954.
Virginia dedicated her working years as a Registered Nurse at the Carroll Medical Center, The Carroll Health Center, and The Carroll Manor until her well-deserved retirement at the age of 79. In addition to her nursing career, Virginia was an active member of the community. She was a proud member of the American Legion Post 607 Auxiliary for over 80 years and the Carroll County Republican daughters. Virginia remained an avid Carroll High School sports fan and an active member of the Carroll High School alumni.
The majority of her married life, you would find her spending time with her family and multitude of friends at the cabin in Lake View, Iowa. Those visiting could always count on Virginia having a swimsuit in their size so they could enjoy the lake as much as she did. Everyone visiting there was family. She enjoyed traveling, especially to visit family in Maine, Massachusetts and Colorado. She and John established a family tradition of going to the Iowa State Fair every year; which will be forever commemorated by a brick, engraved with their name at the entrance of the horse barn. Her hobbies also included card clubs with her friends antiquing and of course bingo.
Left to cherish her memory are her son Rick (Ruth Fogler); son-in-law Ed Rohner; her grandchildren: Tracie (Tom) Moss, Heather (Brian) Fisher, Tony (Michelle) Rohner, Chris Fogler and Kate Fogler; great-grandchildren: Lindsey (Sydney) Slater, Michelle (Josh) Hoffman, Zach (Emily) Moss, Samantha Moss, Jacob (Britt) Sander, Andrea Sander, Kiana Rohner, Alexis, Rohner, Emmalynn Rohner; bonus grandchildren: Madilynn Fisher, Gracie Fisher and Cora Fisher; her great-great-grandchildren: Sydney Slater Jr., Chloe Hoffman, Carlin Okirie, Luka Okirie; sister-in-law Peggy Carlin, “Terry’s People”, along with special cousins Jim Ulveling and Mary Ann Huegerich.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband John, her daughter Roxanne, and brother-in-law Terry Carlin.
