Ruth Byers Carlstrom

October 29, 1920 - June 18, 2016

Ruth Byers Carlstrom, 95, of Urbandale, Iowa and formerly of Boone, passed away at the Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa on Wednesday afternoon, May 11, 2016. She was born on October 29, 1920 in Marshall, Minnesota the daughter of David and Martha (Ladwig) McFarland. On January 12, 1944, she married Donald W. Byers at the Evangelical Church in Marshall, Minnesota. Don passed away in October of 1993. On August 28, 1999, she married Edward H. Carlstrom in Perry, Iowa. Prior to her marriage, Ruth was a clerk at Bladholm Construction Company in Marshall, Minnesota, and was later employed at the Presto Company in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and the DW Onan Company in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She was a Road Master Clerk for the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad from 1967 until her retirement in 1984. She enjoyed cooking and baking for her friends and family, exercising, gardening, playing bridge and traveling, but her family was the center of her life. Ruth was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Boone, Iowa, for over 60 years, having served as a Deacon and Elder. She has been a member of the Heartland Presbyterian Church in Urbandale since 2008. She was also a member of PEO and the Jr Monday Club. Her husband Donald Byers, second husband Edward Carlstrom, an infant daughter, a sister Shirley Rostomily, and 2 brothers James and Pat preceded her in death. Survivors include 3 daughters Barbara Glass and husband Robert of Des Moines, Iowa, Linda Blackburn of West Des Moines, Iowa and Marty Lamoureux and husband Wayne of Boone, Iowa; a son David Byers and wife Ursula of Gilbert, Arizona; 7 grandchildren and 3 step-grandchildren; 7 great-grandchildren and 2 step-great grandchildren; 1 great-great-grandchild; a sister Kathleen Brown of Waconia, Minnesota; 6 nieces and nephews; and brothers-in-laws, nieces and nephews on the Byers family side. Ruth’s wishes were to be cremated and to participate in the Iowa Donor Network. A Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday morning, June 18th at 10:30 a.m. at Heartland Presbyterian Church, 14300 Hickman Road in Clive, Iowa 50325 with Rev. Alex Thornburg officiating. In memory of Ruth, memorials can be directed to the Heartland Presbyterian Church, 14300 Hickman Road in Clive, Iowa 50325 or Taylor Hospice House, % Unity Point Health Foundation, Suite E200, Des Moines, Iowa 50309. A private interment will be held on Monday June 20th in the Linwood Park Cemetery in Boone, Iowa.