Carol Sue Berkler, 87, of Cherokee passed to eternal rest on Sunday, June 29, 2025, at Cherokee Specialty Care.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, July 8, at 2 p.m. at Memorial Presbyterian Church in Cherokee, with interment to follow at Storm Lake Cemetery. Visitation will take place from 12:30 p.m. until service time at the church. Pastor Philip Beisswenger will officiate. Boothby Funeral Home of Cherokee is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com.
Carol Berkler was born on Dec. 22, 1937, at Swallum Hospital in Storm Lake, to Earle F. and Margaret (Edwards) Berkler. She joined older brother Edward Berkler at their home in Meriden, where Earle Berkler was superintendent of the Meriden School. In 1943, the family moved to Tucson, Ariz., where Carol entered the first grade at Sunnyside School at Emery Park, south of Tucson, when she was five years old. In the spring of 1945, with the end of World War II and Mr. Berkler’s job at the Consolidated Vattee Aircraft Plant also ending, the family returned to Iowa, where Mr. Berkler became the superintendent of the school at Larrabee. Carol attended grades two through five at the Larrabee School. In 1949, the family moved to Cherokee, where Mr. Berkler served as county superintendent of schools in Ida and Cherokee counties. In Cherokee, Carol completed grades six through 12 and graduated from Washington High School in 1956.
The next two years she was a student at Iowa State Teacher’s College (UNI) in Cedar Falls, where she was a member of the Purple Arrow Honor Sorority. In 1958, she received her teaching certificate, and served as a second grade teacher at Ida Grove Community School for six years. In 1963, she returned to the family home in Cherokee, where she lived the rest of her life. From 1964-1976, she was employed as a secretary-clerk at the Cherokee County Rural Electric Cooperative. From 1977-1978, she served as a research clerk and newsletter editor for the Cherokee County Historical Society at Prairie Manor in Cleghorn. Other employment included the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation office in Cherokee, Dr. Koser’s office in Cherokee, Green Thumb of Iowa (employment program for NW Iowa seniors) Kiddie Kollege and Humpty Dumpty Preschool in Cherokee. In 1980, Carol opened her own private preschool, Wee Care Preschool, on Clark Street in Cherokee where she served as owner for 11 years and teacher for five years.
In 1989, Carol was employed as office manager at Countryside Estates nursing home in Cherokee. From 1994, she was hired by the Cherokee Daycare as their first administrator in the Donahoe Building at Cherokee Mental Health Institute. She also served as their preschool teacher for 4½ years. In 1999, Carol served as summer staff at the Presbyterian Camp at Lake Okoboji. The next two years, she was employed as a first grade teacher at Foundation Academy Christian School at Sutherland and Cherokee.
Carol was a 65+ year member of Memorial Presbyterian Church, being baptized as a new member of the church on April 2, 1950. At this church, she served as an elder, deaconess, Presbyterian Women, Naomi Circle and Horizons Bible study leader. She taught Sunday School and directed many Christmas programs. She was the Vacation Bible School director and teacher, lead Joy Singers and Jubilee, Children’s Choir, Rainbow Bell Choir Director, Mid-Week Youth and LOGOS teacher. As a young adult, she sang in the church choir. She attended numerous Presbyterian Women’s spring gatherings and fall workshops and also retreats at the Presbyterian Camp in Okoboji, Clearwater Forest near Brainard, Minn., and Pine Lake Christian Center at Eldora.
Carol was proud of having attended the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church at Louisville, Ky., and six nation gatherings of Presbyterian Women at Ames and Louisville, Ky., where she sang in the national women’s choir and served communion as an elder. She also attended several Synod Women’s Gatherings in the Minneapolis Area and Storm Lake. She attended Synod School many years at Grinnell College and Buena Vista College.
Carol was active at the Presbyterian Camp at Okoboji, serving as a counselor, camp director and member of the camp council form 1978-1998, and as a camp communicator for Memorial Presbyterian Church. She was a member of Global Village of the Synod (Secretary) Held in Council Bluffs and Storm Lake; and Presbyterian Day at Morningside College committee for several years. She attended many Women of Faith Conferences at Omaha, Des Moines, Ames, and St. Paul, Minn.
Organizations she had been a member of included Order of Eastern Star, Tone Circle, Cherokee Symphony (violin section), Cherokee Community Theater (five musicals), Cherokee Community Chorus and Pilot Rock Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution. She served as chaplain of the local DAR for 15 years and also held positions on other various committees. In 2009-2010, she served as Iowa Society DAR Public Relations and Media Committee Chairman. She attended many DAR State Conferences in Des Moines and Ames. She was a first place winner of publicity and media, North Central Division for the National Society of DAR.
In her spare time her other interests included family genealogy, photography, traveling and journalism.
Carol is survived by nieces: Terri (John Ty) Werner of Edgewood, N.M.; Sheri (Mark) Berry of La Luz, N.M.; Judy Sapp of Sumter, S.C.; great-nieces: Amy (Larry) May of Maryville, Tenn.; Trista (Tyler) Werner Cameron of Albuquerque, N.M.; Kendra Werner of Estancia, N.M.; Tara Werner of Seattle, Wash.; Lisa Davis of Westminster, Colo.; Colby (Les) Parsons of Canyon Country, Calif.; great-nephew Keegan (Ingrid) Van Winkle of Las Cruces, N.M.; two great-great-nephews, Hunter Stephens and Mason May of Maryville, Tenn.; great-great-nieces Jett and Mavis Werner-Cameron of Albuquerque, N.M.; great-great-nephew Nixon Davis of Westminster, Colo.; cousins in California, Toronto, Ontario, Colorado, Florida, Minnesota, Nebraska, Storm Lake, Alta, Pocahontas and Manson; plus a multitude of friends.
She was preceded in death by her father Earle Berkler in 1963; her mother Margaret Berkler in 1988; her brother Edward in 1990; sisters-in-law: Jo Anne Judge Berkler Gaines in 1977; and Wanda Jean Mallory Swanson Berkler in 2013, great-niece Elizabeth Ann Berry in 1993; numerous aunts, uncles and cousins; special childhood friend, Joy Stanford Tharpe in 2008.
