Carmen Tilgner

HAWARDEN, IOWA- Carmen Judy Tilgner, 73, of Hawarden, died Monday, August 5, 2013 at the Hillcrest Health Care Center in Hawarden.

Memorial service will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the United Methodist Church in Hawarden with the Rev. Barb Joy officiating. Inurnment will follow in the Grace Hill Cemetery. Visitation will begin at noon Friday, with the family present beginning at 6:00 p.m. and a prayer service at 8:00 p.m. at the Porter Funeral Home in Hawarden. Condolences may be sent to www.porterfuneralhomes.com.

Carmen Judy Tilgner was born July 29, 1940 in Rochester, Minnesota, the daughter of Walter and Maxine (Whited) Hess. She graduated from Rochester High School in 1958 and went to Westmar College in LeMars, Iowa receiving her degree in education in 1963. She taught fourth grade in Hawarden.

Carmen married Tom Tilgner on June 20, 1963. She continued to substitute teach while working at the Ben Franklin Store from 1972 on. They purchased the store from his parents in 1975. Tom and Carmen had two boys, Tappen born in 1965 and Monte born in 1968. They continued to run the store until 1993, when they purchased a Ben Franklin store in Wayne, Nebraska. While living in Wayne, Carmen was a "Safe House" provider for abused women. They retired back to Hawarden in January of 2006.

Carmen was an active member of the United Methodist Church, where she taught Sunday School and was in the UMW. She was a past Cub Scout leader and belonged to P.E.O. and Beta Sigma Phi Sorority holding most offices in both organizations. Carmen enjoyed bowling while living in Wayne, volunteering at Hillcrest and the Hospital Thrift Store, and riding in RAGBRAI, which she did by herself on 10 different occasions.

She is survived by her husband Tom; two sons, Tappen and wife Paula and their daughter Halle of Kansas City, Kansas and Monte and wife Missy and their daughters Kelsey and Morgan of Alton, Iowa; and a brother, Jay and his wife Lavonne of Rochester, Minnesota.

Carmen was preceded by her parents.