Caren Kay Bartz

February 11, 1959 - March 30, 2023

Visitation

• Date: April 7, 2023
• Time: 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
• Location: Schroeder Funeral Homes - St. Ansgar, Iowa

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Funeral Service

• Date: April 8, 2023
• Time: 10:30 a.m.
• Location: Emmanuel Lutheran Church - Grafton, Iowa

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Burial

• Location: St. John’s Cemetery - Osage, Iowa

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Caren Kay Bartz of Grafton, Iowa, was called home to God on March 30, 2023, at Mayo Clinic Methodist Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota, with her family by her side after a hard-fought battle against sarcoma cancer. Memorial Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 8th, at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Grafton, Iowa, with Pastor Paul Weeg officiating. Visitation will be from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. on Friday, April 7th, at Schroeder Funeral Homes in St. Ansgar, Iowa. Burial will take place at St. John’s Cemetery of Rock Township. Caren was born February 11, 1959, to George and Twila (Cooper) Kroneman in Mitchell County, Iowa, the fourth of four daughters. She was baptized on April 19, 1959, and confirmed on June 10, 1973, at St. John’s Lutheran Church. Caren was raised to be a hard-working woman on her family farm. She and her sisters spent many days helping their dad sort pigs & cattle, mowing lawns, and baling hay with cousins as well as helping their mom in the garden. She developed her love for farming from her dad and gardening from her mom at an early age. When the sisters weren’t hard at work, they spent many hours playing in the creek and put many miles on their bicycles riding around the country and to Osage to get a shake from A&W. Caren attended Grafton, Carpenter, and St. Ansgar Schools, graduating in May of 1977. In high school, she began working at the Gobbler’s Roost in Grafton, where she later met her husband, Curtis Lee Bartz. Caren and Curt were married on April 23, 1983, at St. John’s Lutheran Church. Together they built up their family farm north of Grafton. hey were blessed with two daughters, Courtney and Caylee. Caren devoted her life to her family and the farm. She taught her daughters the importance of hard work and they knew she would do anything for them. Spring, the start of a new season, meant running for parts, hauling seed and fertilizer, and running the field cultivator. It also meant many trips to the greenhouses. It seemed like she got more and more flowers every year. All summer, she spent countless hours mowing the lawn and working with her flowers, ensuring the yard always looked its best. Fall was her favorite time of year, unloading semis as she ran the corn dryer with Charlie, ripping fields, and hauling anhydrous tanks. Before their daughters came along, Caren & Curt spent many weekends traveling to truck pulls and vacations to Yellowstone, Hawaii, and New York. She loved to go dancing and spending time up at the Roost. Throughout her life, Caren always enjoyed going to auctions and antiquing, looking for her next project. As they built their family, she always supported her daughters, attending every event they were involved in. Caren loved to go camping and on vacations, spending time with her sisters and friends, and her Busch Light. More recently, Caren had spent many hours wedding planning with Caylee to welcome her son-in-law, Hayden, to the family, but her biggest joy was spending time with her grandson, Ellis. Whenever she saw him, she made sure she always had presents for him. She spent a lot of time traveling around North Carolina with her family, visiting Biltmore and the birthplace of Pepsi, lying on the beach, and climbing lighthouses. Those left to cherish her memory are her: husband, Curt Bartz of Grafton, IA; her Daughters, Courtney Bartz of St. Ansgar, IA, and Caylee Hubbard (Hayden) and grandson Ellis Hubbard of Iwakuni, Japan; sisters Carla Benson (Bob Grimes) of Rosemount, MN, Chloe Ann Stumo (Scott) of Northwood, IA, Cheryl Ginder (Jerry) of Mason City, IA; brothers-in-law Fred Hardwick (Sylvia) of Mason City, IA, Dennis Bartz (Barb) of Grafton, IA; as well as many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Preceding her in death were her parents, George and Twila Kroneman, father and mother-in-law, Harold and Leona Bartz, and brothers-in-law Tom Benson and George Hardwick.