Carl William Ehrmann

Carl William Ehrmann, 69, of Amana, met the Lord, surrounded by the love of his family, leaving behind a lifetime of memories, laughter, friendships and, most of all, a family who was the greatest love of his life.

Born on October 9, 1956, in East Amana, Iowa, to Roy and Marie (Schaefer) Ehrmann, Carl spent his 69 years building a life rooted in family, faith, friendship and community. He attended Amana Community Schools and proudly graduated from Amana High School in 1974. He went on to attend Central College in Pella before beginning a long and successful career in the food service industry.

Carl’s career took him through many roles and relationships that he cherished. He worked as a manager at the Ox Yoke Inn before becoming General Manager of the Colony Inn Restaurant, where he eventually owned and operated his own food service business. He later transitioned into sales within the industry, working for H & H and Hawkeye Food Service before retiring from Town & Country Food Service in 2022. Retirement, however, did not mean sitting still for Carl. He found a new way to stay connected with people and keep busy by working with Capper Auto Group in Marengo.

But while Carl found great pride in his work, there was never any confusion about where his true love lived: with his family. Carl married his wife, Debbie (Waters), in Iowa City in 1980 and together they built a life filled with love, laughter, family, sports and countless memories over the past 46 years. They raised three children, Darcy, Carrie and Jacob, who were the center of Carl’s world.

Carl loved watching and coaching his children in sports. He could recall statistics, scores and nearly every detail from every game, match and meet. Eventually, the family simply stopped challenging him because, more often than not, Dad was right. His passion for sports continued well beyond his children’s playing days. He was a devoted Chicago Bears and St. Louis Cardinals fan and proudly held Iowa Football season tickets for more than 20 years.

And while Carl loved his children deeply, his grandchildren became the light of his life. Carleigh, Collins and Archer held a particularly special place in his heart. He proudly shared his name with Carleigh, his famous special “hug me ’til it hurts” with Collins and made sure to teach Archer everything he knew about the Iowa Hawkeyes before his first birthday. To his grandchildren, Opa was a source of love, laughter, comfort and unconditional support.

Carl faced the final chapter of his life with the same courage and determination that defined him. He fought a courageous battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia and, following a successful stem cell transplant, was blessed to be deemed in full remission. When the cancer eventually returned, Carl accepted each challenge, trial and tribulation with unwavering faith, keeping his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, at his side.

During this time, his faith grew stronger, as did the friendships he developed through Amana Area Fellowship. Among those friendships, Alan Baumgartel became a dear friend and spiritual mentor to Carl, offering companionship, encouragement and guidance during a deeply meaningful chapter of his life. The faith and fellowship Carl found during this time brought him comfort and strength as his journey continued. He also formed several special relationships with the staff at the University of Iowa Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center. His family will forever be grateful for the compassion, kindness and dignity they showed Carl, not simply treating him as a patient but seeing and caring for the person behind the diagnosis.

Carl leaves behind a legacy that cannot be measured by a career, a scoreboard or any number of accomplishments. His greatest legacy is the family he loved so fiercely, the friendships he built, the people he encouraged and the memories he leaves behind.

He is survived by his wife, Debbie; his children, Darcy (Joe) Moulin of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Carrie (Brett) Karkosh of Mount Vernon, Iowa; and Jacob (Jessica) Ehrmann of Dallas, Texas; his grandchildren, Carleigh and Collins Karkosh and Archer Ehrmann; his brother, Paul (Susan) Ehrmann; his sister, Kristie Ehrmann; his sisters-in-law, Terri (Bob Stoffel) Kajewski and Linda (Doug) Hein; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Though his family will miss his voice, his stories, his sports statistics, his humor and those unforgettable hugs, they can find comfort knowing that Carl has finished his race. He fought hard, loved deeply, lived faithfully and was finally called home. His family is reassured knowing that the man who spent his life keeping score is now celebrating the greatest victory of all.

Those wishing to honor Carl are invited to gather with his family and friends during visitation from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. on September 3 at Powell Funeral Home in Marengo, Iowa. A memorial service celebrating Carl’s life will be held at 10:00 a.m. on September 4 at Amana Area Fellowship, with Rev. Erik Schulte officiating, at the Amana Performing Arts Center in Amana, Iowa.

In keeping with Carl’s spirit of compassion and gratitude, memorial gifts may be made to Blood Cancer United, an organization dedicated to advancing research to create a world without blood cancer.

Powell Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Marengo is caring for Carl and his family. Messages may be left at www.powellfuneralhomes.com