Carol Koons Ryder

Carol Koons Ryder, 91, of Cedar Rapids, died Friday, June 3, 2016, at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy in Hiawatha, following a brief illness. Carol donated her body to Des Moines Osteopathic Hospital.

Surviving are her five children, Thomas (Suzy) Ryder III of Boise, Idaho, Jim (Sarah) Ryder of Lexington, Ky., Beth (Dave) Hill of Monroe, N.C., Paul Ryder of Cedar Rapids, daughter-in-law Cathy Ryder, and Amy (Jamie) Butters of Pleasant Ridge, Mich. Also surviving are six grandsons; seven granddaughters; 10 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Ryder Jr.; her parents; and her sister, Joanne Prior.

Carol Irene Koons was born May 31, 1925, in Brooklyn, daughter of William and Ruth (Holstrom) Koons. She graduated from Newton High School and Broadlawns Nursing School in Des Moines. She married Thomas Ryder Jan. 24, 1948, and they enjoyed almost 68 years together. She was a nurse at Mercy Hospital in Cedar Rapids for almost 20 years and she was a longtime telephone interviewer at Frank Magid and Associates.
The family would like to thank Bill and Jill Ryder and Barb and John Gudenkauf as well as the staff at Mercy Hospice. Also a special thank you to the staff at Donutland.

Carol had many loves, including fresh flowers, a glass of cold beer, the Iowa Hawkeyes, Sinatra music and visiting with friends and family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was a charter member of the Retired Mercy OB Nurses Breakfast Group.

The family plans a private memorial service at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Tom and Carol Ryder Cougar Scholarship at Kennedy High School c/o Cedar Rapids Community Schools Foundation, 2500 Edgewood Road NW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52405.

Online condolences may be directed to the family at www.cedarmemorial.com under Obituaries.