Rachel Stoelk

Rachel Marie Stoelk, age 36, of Norwalk and formerly of Westside passed away on Tuesday, December 29, 2015 at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines. Funeral service will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Tuesday, January 5, 2016 at Zion Lutheran Church in Arcadia with Pastor Ben Dose and Pastor Roger Carlisle officiating. Friends may call at the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Carroll after 5:00 P.M. on Monday where there will be a prayer service held at 7:00 P.M. The casket will be moved to the church at 9:00 A.M. on Tuesday where visitation will resume until the time of service. Burial will be in the Westside Cemetery. Organist for the service will be Rebecca Dose and Jax Cleveland, Kate Stoelk, Colton Whittaker, Caroline, Emma, and Drew Dieter will sing “Jesus Loves Me” as a children’s chorus. Rachel’s cousins serving as casket barriers are: Kurt Miller, Ryan Miller, Heather Stoelk-Niver, Marty Stoelk, Robyn Cromwell, Tami Gute, Tacey Stoelk, Troy Stoelk, Alison Schwanz-Daleske, Aaron Schwanz, Aileen Schwanz, Laura Rugaard, Carla Henson, Teresa Kotz, Sarah Peterson, Daniel Petersen, Stacey Petersen. 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 Born on June 2, 1979 in Carroll she was the daughter of Mark and Jolene (Petersen) Stoelk. She grew up on her family’s farm near Westside and graduated from Ar-We-Va High School in 1998 where she was a drummer in band, sang in the chorus and was a cheerleader. Her entire cheerleading squad was chosen at try-outs to perform at the half-time show at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando Florida on New Years Day. She attended Iowa Lakes Community College in Emmetsburg where she earned a degree in Early Childhood Development. After college, she moved to Des Moines and worked for Apple Tree Children’s Centers as lead teacher and assistant director of the staff. She took great pride in her classroom of children. Her students and their parents, and co-workers loved her like one of their family. Rachel had a warm, safe, caring charisma that little ones were drawn to. Rachel was a TRUE farmer’s daughter. She could catch a load of corn from the combine on the go. She enjoyed working with livestock, raising chickens, driving tractors. She especially enjoyed driving tractor along side the guys on many tractor rides. Rachel was very active in 4-H, took tap , jazz, lyrical and ballet lessons while growing up. She loved music of any kind. You could switch the channel on the radio several times and she sang the words to every song. She liked to recite movie quotes at just the right moment. Rachel was a loyal friend. Her contagious smile and positive attitude brought joy everywhere she went. She was a lifelong member of Zion Lutheran Church in Arcadia where she was baptized and confirmed. Rachel is survived by her parents: Mark and Jolene Stoelk of Westside; a brother Randy Stoelk and his wife Lisa of Carroll; a sister Kimberly Cleveland and her husband Ron of Westside; her nieces and nephews: Chance, Eli, Garrett, Kalon, Kyelar, and Jax Cleveland and Tyler, Kate, Mallory and Will Stoelk; and many aunts, uncles, and cousins. Rachel was preceded in death by her grandparents: Lawrence and Margarette Stoelk and Vertis and Marion Petersen, two uncles: Greg and Larry Stoelk.