Rita Mae Langenfeld

Rita Mae Langenfeld, age 95, of Carroll, IA, passed away peacefully on Thursday, August 7, 2025 at Garden View Assisted Living in Carroll surrounded by her family.

Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 A.M. on Saturday, August 16, 2025 at St. Lawrence Catholic Church – St. John Paul II Parish in Carroll.  Celebrant for the Mass will be Fr. Patrick Behm and assisted by Deacon Dave Prenger. Lector for the Mass will be Jeff Langenfeld and Shelby Eastlund.  Gift Bearers will be Glen Langenfeld and Mary Vivyan.  Casket bearers will be Tyler Mayer, Eric Heiman, Kelsey Bowman, Trish Langenfeld, Josh Langenfeld, and Ryder Langenfeld.  Burial will be at 1:30 P.M. on Saturday at St. Ann’s Cemetery in Vail.

Visitation will be held at the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Carroll after 5:00 P.M. on Friday, August 15, 2025 where there will be a Rosary held at 6:30 P.M.  The casket will be moved to St. Lawrence Church at 9:30 A.M. on Saturday where visitation will resume until 10:15 A.M. prior to the Mass.

Funeral arrangements are entrusted to the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Carroll and online condolences may be left for Rita’s family at www.dahnandwoodhouse.com

Rita was born on September 22, 1929 on her family’s farm near Defiance, IA. She was the daughter of August and Matilda (Kohls) Schnuettgen.  She attended St. Paul Catholic School in Defiance until the 8th grade.  Rita married her beloved husband Merle Langenfeld on January 3, 1949 at St. Peters Catholic Church in Defiance.  The Langenfeld’s lived in Earling for 1 year before making their home in Vail for forty-eight years until moving to Carroll in 1998.  Along with being the mother of ten children, Rita worked at the Wishbone Café and Dial Lock in Denison.  She also worked at General Electric in Carroll for eight years.  Rita was a member of St. John Paul II Parish in Carroll.  She enjoyed doing crafts, sewing, and quilting.  Rita and Merle also enjoyed going to craft fairs and selling the things she made but most of all Rita loved her family.

Rita is survived by; a son Glen Langenfeld (Pat) of Mesa, AZ; a daughter Mary Vivyan (James) of Willey; a son Terry Langenfeld of Sioux Falls, SD; a daughter LuAnn Langenfeld of Sartell, MN; a daughter Sharon Smith (Shane) of Crescent; a daughter Eileen Langenfeld of Carroll; a daughter Teresa Schweers of Glidden; a daughter Peggy Klocke (Jeff) of Willey; and a son Chris Langenfeld of Glidden; twenty-one grandchildren; thirty-eight great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandson; a sister-in-law Jean Croghan and her husband Tom of Omaha; and many other extended family members.

Rita was the last of ten children and was preceded in death by her nine siblings.  She was also preceded in death by her parents August and Matilda Schnuettgen; her in-laws Henry and Mary Langenfeld; a son Dale Langenfeld; a grandson Jason Langenfeld; a great-grandson Briggs Heiman; and her husband Merle Langenfeld.

Rita’s family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the nurses and staff at Garden View Assisted Living where she called home the last four years of her life and received excellent care and everyone with St. Anthony Hospice.