June 5, 1935 - September 25, 2023
Carol J. Hutzell, 88, of Algona, died Monday, Sept. 25, 2023, at the Titonka Care Center.
Carol Janice Collins was born to Perry and Helen Fritz Collins in Des Moines on June 5, 1935. The Collins family moved to Algona in May of 1938, where Mr. Collins was sent to open the first Research Station outside of Johnston for Pioneer Hi-Bred Corn Company. Carol graduated from Algona High School in 1953. While in high school she participated in chorus, girls sextet, girls quartet, L’Lalegro, girls chorus, church choir and was a member of the camera club. She graduated from Iowa State Teachers College in 1957, with a double major in elementary education and art education. She was married to Floyd Jerome Hutzell on June 10, 1956, at the Methodist Church in Algona. From 1960 to 1964 she taught kindergarten at Third Ward School in Algona. In 1966 she was hired by Sentral Community Schools of Fenton to teach art, grades 1 through 12. She retired from that position in 1990.
Carol was a 50 year plus member of First United Methodist Church in Algona and served on the education committee, the staff parish relations committee, the nominating committee and the records and history committee. She was the chairman of that committee at the time the Heritage Room was developed and the time of the church sesquicentennial. She also wrote the 150 Year History Book assisted by her husband Floyd. In the early 1960s she was a member of The League of Women Voters and later was a member of Sentral Education Association and was president of that group when they gained the right to legal bargaining.
In retirement years traveling became an enjoyable pastime, especially the research trips when writing the family history book and the Methodist church history book. Also enjoyed were the weeks spent in Branson, Mo. and Hilton Head Island, S.C. with family, and time spent in Fla.
Carol is survived by her sons and their families: Mark Hutzell and his wife Hong of Lincoln, Neb., daughters Meg of Grand Island, Neb. and Paige of Omaha, Neb. and son Dr. Jacob Hutzell of Jacksonville, Fla.; James Hutzell and his children Makayla, Amber and Kaleb of Janesville, S.C.; and son Steven’s daughters Anna Rinaldi and Jessica of Marietta, Ga. and son Christopher Hutzell of Kansas City, Kan. Also surviving are her brother Dale Collins of Sulphur, La. and his children and grandchildren. Preceding her in death are her parents Perry and Helen Collins, mother- and father-in-law Roy and Mabel Hutzell, sister-in-law Ruth Collins, husband of 62 years, Floyd Hutzell, in 2018, and son Steven Hutzell in 2021.
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