Karolin (Falb) Lehman passed away peacefully at Gundersen Palmer Lutheran Hospital, West Union, Iowa on July 19, 2021 at the age of 89. She was born June 15, 1932 to George and Myrtle (Kerr) Falb at the family home on Pleasant Street in Elgin, Iowa.
Karolin attended Elgin Public School graduating with the class of 1949. Following graduation she attended Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls, Iowa. She began her teaching career in first grade in Tripoli, Iowa.
On June 8, 1952, Karolin married her high school sweetheart, Leo Lehman, and began life on the Lehman farm. She continued her teaching career for another year, teaching kindergarten in Arlington, Iowa. During this year one of her biggest thrills was taking 40 students on a train ride from Arlington to Fayette. At the close of this year she retired to the farm and over five and a half years welcomed four girls to the family: Kara, Linda, LeAnn and Kris. In 1969 the family moved to their dream home in Elgin.
When the girls were all in elementary school, Karolin continued her education at Upper Iowa University and began teaching in the Valley Community School District. She spent the next twenty-eight years teaching Title 1 Reading and kindergarten.
Karolin was an active member of the First Baptist Church and was baptized on October 24, 1954. She taught Sunday school, Bible school, and enjoyed organizing many children’s Christmas programs. She was a member of Tabitha and served as its president for several years. In later years, she enjoyed visiting the elderly and sharing tapes of the Sunday sermons.
She volunteered for many years at the Good Samaritan Society in West Union. Karolin was a past member of the Elgin Tertia Club and a member of the Friends of the Library in Elgin. She loved traveling with her husband Leo and especially loved spending time and planning activities with her grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Surviving are her brother, John Falb, Cody WY and sister Greta Burks, Waterloo, four daughters: Kara Krohn, Zephyrhills, FL, Linda (Mike) Cline, Elgin, IA, LeAnn (Gary) Larson, Clermont, IA and Kris (Merle) Whitcher, Waverly, IA. Eight grandchildren: Marah Weigel, Ryan (Jane) Cline, Cody (Stacy) Cline, Christy (Tyler) Amundson, Nick (Leah) Larson, Abbie (Brandon) Huinker, Brooke (Adam) Mitchell and Kyle (Dani) Whitcher. 14 Great grandchildren: Cash and Beckett Cline, Jacoby, Trevor, Kaden, and Bailey Cline, Camden and Brooks Amundson, Ellary and Henrick Larson, Alma and Finn Huinker, Rowan and Nora Whitcher.
She was preceded in death by her parents George and Mrytle Falb, her husband, Leo Lehman, and her sister and brother-in-law, Georgana (John) Foster; sister- in-laws and brother-in-laws Marion (George) Senkler, and Maxine (Bill) Leake and son-in-law Barry Krohn.
Visitation will be Friday, September 3, 2021 from 4-7 p.m. at First Baptist Church, Elgin, Iowa.
Celebration of Life will be at 11:00 am on Saturday, September 4, 2021 at the First Baptist Church in Elgin, Iowa.
Burial will follow at the Elgin Cemetery, Elgin, Iowa with Pastor Cody Cline as the Officiant.
Leonard-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service of Elgin, Iowa is assisting the family with arrangements