Carol Ann Wessels Bye Koeneman

Carol Ann Wessels Bye Koeneman, age 80, passed away peacefully August 27, 2024 in Tucson, Arizona. She was born January 7, 1944 in Independence, Iowa to Verna (Peck) and William Wessels. She was raised in Independence surrounded by her brothers and many aunts, uncles, and cousins. Growing up, Carol enjoyed playing the piano, singing, swimming, lifeguarding, and fishing with her dad. Carol graduated from Wartburg College in 1966 with a degree in education. Music was a large part of her college experience, singing in the choir and playing in the band. She proudly earned the title of Miss Waverly and competed in the Miss Iowa contest in 1964.

Carol was married to Robert Bye for 26 years and together they raised two beautiful daughters and educated many young minds in Mason City, Iowa. During this time, she earned her masters degree from the University of Iowa. Carol was a gifted teacher, spending years working with sixth and seventh grade students teaching English, social studies, and math. We know she will have a special place in heaven for her work with middle school kids!

Following her retirement from the Mason City School District, she moved to Waverly, Iowa and worked for Wartburg College as the Assistant Director of Alumni with added responsibilities for coordinating band and choir tours. She celebrated the opportunity to return to and serve a college that held such a special place in her heart. While in Waverly, she married Al Koeneman in 2003, and they shared a love of travel, food, golf, friends, and Wartburg College until his passing in 2018. They moved to Arizona permanently in 2014 after spending a few years traveling around the country in their motorhome. Carol was a devoted P.E.O. sister in Iowa and Arizona, working to achieve the mission of helping women around the world advance through education.

Carol was a true example of a good and faithful servant, caring for all those in her life, including her parents, with a selfless spirit and kind heart. She was the organist and choir director at St. James Lutheran Church in Mason City for decades. Carol continued to serve others in various ways within the communities and churches where she lived until Parkinsons impacted her health. She could whip up an amazing and colorful meal in no time and loved to set a beautiful table for holidays and parties. Her party mix and coffee cakes were enjoyed by all. Carol loved sports, especially football, and could be found cheering loudly for her favorite teams and grandchildren’s events. She deeply loved her grandchildren, enjoying their visits and sending them on scavenger hunts. Carol was blessed to travel throughout the Americas and Europe, with a special love for Door County and fishing for salmon on Lake Michigan. She also enjoyed golfing, playing cards, and connecting with friends and family. Nothing matched Carol’s love of Christmas and her beautiful decorations and Byers Carolers. Her legacy will live on through all the lives she touched, the ways she demonstrated service to others, and proper decorating for Christmas (but never before Thanksgiving)!

Carol is survived by her daughters, Katie (Ted) Maxwell and Jen Christy, grandchildren Alicia Cordova, Kathryn Christy, and Ben Christy along with siblings Jim (Jean Clark-Naylor), Bill (Trudy) and Mary Lee Wessels and many nieces and nephews. She was also loved by Brad, Sue, Spencer, and Sydney Koeneman and Teresa, Gene, and Dylan Cavasos.

Carol is preceded in death by her parents William and Verna, brothers Wayne and Den, and husband, Al Koeneman. All of these she loved and touched deeply.

Please join us in celebrating her life the first weekend of November 2024. We will hold a visitation on Friday, November 1st from 4:30 - 7:00 and a celebration of life service on Saturday at 10:30am. Both events will be in the Wartburg College Chapel (100 Wartburg Blvd, Waverly, IA 50677). A light luncheon in the Wartburg College Ballroom will follow the Saturday service. 

In lieu of flowers/plants, please consider making a designated gift to the Carol Wessels Bye Koeneman Wartburg College scholarship endowment for education majors who are involved in music. Donations may be made at  https://www.wartburg.edu/give  .