Mercedes Catherine Drees

Mercedes Catherine Drees, 82, of Carroll, IA, passed away on Friday, October 1, 2021, at Sunnybrook Assisted Living in Carroll.

A memorial service will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Saturday, October 9, 2021, at Holy Angels Catholic Church in Roselle with Deacon Scott Steffen officiating.  The family will greet friends for one hour prior to the service. Interment will be in the Carroll City Cemetery with a reception and luncheon to follow at the Carroll American Legion. The family respectfully requests that all who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 wear a mask to the service, gravesite, and luncheon. In lieu of food and flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to Holy Angels Catholic Church or to Kindred Hospice.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Carroll and online condolences may be left for the family at www.dahnandwoodhouse.com

Mercedes was born to Andrew and Leona (Daniel) Kirsch on August 25, 1939, in Carroll, IA, and grew up on her family’s farm near Roselle.  She attended Kuemper High School and was married to Lloyd Joseph Drees on April 4, 1959, at Holy Angels Catholic Church in Roselle by Fr. Graft.  The couple lived on a farm near Carroll for eight years before purchasing a dairy farm in Adair County. Although Lloyd and Mercedes had four children, Dan, Brian, Lisa, and Allan, they also took in foster children, all of whom they loved dearly. While on the family farm, Mercedes received a degree in nursing from Southwest Community College. Lloyd and Mercedes then moved to Greenfield where she worked for Adair County Home Care until 2002, when she and Lloyd moved back to Carroll. Mercedes then worked for Carroll Area Nursing Service until she retired in 2013. Mercedes enjoyed finding treasures at garage sales, consistently remodeling her house, dancing with her husband, laughing and teasing while playing cards, and going on adventures, but, most importantly, spending time with her 4 children, 10 grandchildren, 3 great-grandchildren and many friends.

Mercedes is survived by her husband Lloyd of Carroll; her children: Dan Drees (Linda) of Pleasant Hill, IA, Brian Drees (Melinda) of Grinnell, IA, Lisa Tobin (Bernie) of Half Moon Bay, CA, and Allan Drees (Julie) of West Des Moines; 10 grandchildren; 3 great-grandsons; a sister, Monica Nellesen (Norman) of Carroll; three brothers: Andrew Kirsch (Mary Ann) of Carroll, Duane Kirsch (Betty) of Carroll, and Virgil Kirsch (Peggy) of Carroll; and many nieces and nephews. Mercedes is preceded in death by her brothers Jerome Kirsch and Art Kirsch, and sisters Jan Klocke and Diana Ludwig.