Carol Elaine Damon, 90, a long-time Oelwein resident, passed away peacefully on Saturday April 19, 2025 at NorthCrest Specialty Care in Waterloo. Visitation will be from 10:00-11:30 AM on Friday April 25, 2025 at Grace United Methodist Church in Oelwein. Funeral services will then begin at 11:30 AM with Pastor Rick Johnson officiating. Interment will be in Woodlawn Cemetery at Oelwein. Memorials may be directed to the family for a later designation. The Geilenfeld-Buehner Funeral Home in Oelwein is assisting the family.
Carol was born on May 24, 1934 in Hazleton Township, Iowa to Melvin L. and Zelma E. (Martin) Campbell. Carol graduated from Oelwein High School in 1952, followed by the pursuit of a music degree at Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa. There, she met her first husband, John Albert "Jack" Walling from Conrad, Iowa.
Carol and Jack married November 22, 1956 at the Grace Methodist Church, now the Grace United Methodist Church, in Oelwein. They had three children: John Allen, Jill Annette, and Jeffrey Albert Walling. The marriage ended in divorce in early 1967 and Carol rejoined her extended family in the Oelwein area thereafter. She met the love of her life, George E. Damon, in Oelwein; they were married August 29, 1969.
Carol was a gifted vocalist and always had a song in her heart. She sang throughout her life, earning high praise in high school vocal competitions and as a soloist, choir member, and Choir Director at the Christ United Presbyterian Church in Oelwein.
One of her favorite expressions, which betrayed her Scotch-Irish ancestry, was: “The best-laid schemes o’ mice and men gang aft agley” (often go awry). As one of seven children, she cherished her immediate and extended family. She and her siblings would wear their authentic Campbell Scottish tartan during reunions.
Carol worked as a bank teller for several years and later became a full-time homemaker. She was the frequent host of family gatherings for which she would make her much-loved spaghetti and meatballs and pies that could compete with those of today’s top chefs. With the grandchildren’s “help” she would make homemade noodles and cookies, covering the kitchen and young helpers in flour.
She and George loved gardening and canning. After harvest, visitors could detect the pungent aroma of homemade sauerkraut and find jar-upon-jar of pickles and other preserves.
She was a highly skilled calligrapher and was delighted to be among the winners of a nationwide contest for calligraphers hosted by the Smithsonian Institution, where one of her works was displayed. She created certificates and keepsakes for many in what has become a rare art. She was known for her frequent use of various idioms and proverbs, such as “Rome wasn’t built in a day” and “Haste makes waste.” She often used these and other favorite quotes to create beautiful framed calligraphy artwork that she would give to her friends and family. She also enjoyed knitting and cross stitching and was a very competitive Bridge player, enjoying Bridge with her many partners well into her 80s.
She was a long-time member of the Christ United Presbyterian Church and more recently, the Grace United Methodist Church.
Carol was preceded in death by her beloved husband of more than 34 years, George E. Damon, her first husband, sisters Janice Buckholtz, Judith Pritchard, and brother Jerry Campbell.
Carol is survived by her sister, Faye Iverson of Phoenix, Arizona; brothers James Campbell of Oelwein and Steven (Helen) Campbell of Cedar Rapids; her children and stepson Dennis Damon (Colleen) of Waterloo, Iowa.
Her memory and many gifts will live on in her children: John Walling (Brenda) of Cisco, Texas, Jill Walling (Tim Carlton) of Washington, DC and Jeff Walling (Deanna) of Oconto Falls, Wisconsin; her stepson Dennis Damon (Colleen) of Waterloo; along with six grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, one great-great grandchild, and many nieces and nephews.
