Carol Walcker

Carol Walcker, 87, of Hokah, Minn., passed away Sunday, February 16th, 2020 at Springbrook Village in La Crescent.

She was born to Clarence and Rose (Henseler) Tiber in Milwaukee, Wis., on February 14, 1933. The family later moved to a farm near Hustler, WI, where Carol milked cows, baled hay, and looked after the animals. Carol attended high school in Tomah and then college at the University of Wisconsin--LaCrosse where she obtained her B.S. in Elementary Education.  While in college, she met Don Walcker of Hokah, and they were married on April 2, 1956 at St. James Catholic Church in Camp Douglas, WI. The young couple raised their family in a valley outside of Hokah. Later, they built her dream home on Cedar Path, where she loved mowing the lawn with her John Deere.

Carol’s teaching career began in Racine, Wis.; after she married, she taught at St. Peter’s in Hokah and St. Mary’s in Caledonia, retiring in 1996. In between her teaching careers, she owned and operated Hokah IGA.

Carol and Don traveled around the world, where she enjoyed learning about and experiencing new cultures. After retirement, she and Don built their vacation home in Mission, Texas, and enjoyed many wonderful winters there.

Carol was always busy with a project, including remodeling the family home, refurbishing antiques, writing books about St. Peter’s Church, tending to her lawn and flower beds, organizing card games and domino parties, fundraising, volunteering at school or church, and helping others in need.

She will be remembered for her generosity, kindness, compassion, creativity, and spitfire personality. She loved hearing about her grandchildren’s life adventures and accomplishments, which usually ended in the comment, “Oh, honestly.”

Carol is survived by five children, Terri (Tom) Urbanek, Tom Walcker, Dan (Tammy) Walcker, Joe Walcker, and Kris (Skip) Jergenson; grandchildren, Nicholas, Joshua, Anthony, Dominic, Danika, Travis, Samantha, Leah, Taylor, Becky, Julie, and Heidi; great-grandchildren, Destiny, Jordan, Rylee, and Justice. She is also survived by her brother, Tom (Vicki) Tiber; brother-in-law, Jim Menke; and sister-in-law, Phyllis Walcker; as well as many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Don, in 2008; her sister and brother-in-law, Mary and Roy Hoffman; her brother and sister-in-law, Curtis and Ellen Tiber; her sister, Eileen; her sister- and brother-in-law, LaVonne and Charles Kearns; her brother-in-law, Jerry Walcker; her sisters-in-law, Suzy Walcker and Shirley Walcker; and brother-in-law, Robert.

A celebration of Carol’s life, which will include some of Carol’s favorite pastimes, card games and dominoes, will be held from 3:00 until 6:00 p.m., Sunday, February 23 ^rd , in the church hall at St. Peter’s Parish in Hokah.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, February 24 ^th , at St. Peter’s Catholic Church with Father Thomas Melvin officiating.  Burial will take place in Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Hokah.  Following the services, there will be a reception held in the Hokah City Hall.  In lieu of flowers, memorials can be directed to the Hokah City Pool or St. Peter’s School.