Connie Lou Carlyle

Connie Lou (Hoy) Carlyle, beloved mother of Terry “TC” Carlyle, was called home by her Heavenly Father on Saturday, January 18th, 2025, while living in Owatonna, MN. She was 81.

Cremation and then burial with graveside services will be at Colfax Cemetery in Colfax, IA at a later date. Condolences and correspondence may be sent to TC at PO Box 48, Owatonna, MN, 55060 or tjcatc@msn.com.  At this time a Memorial date has not been planned.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Owatonna, 545 Dunnell Dr, Owatonna, MN 55060.

The daughter of Elmer and Clara (Pike) Hoy, Connie was born on October 25, 1943 in Rhodes, Iowa.  On June 22, 1962, she was united in marriage to Marvin E. Carlyle.  Their only son, Terry “TC” Carlyle was born on February 24, 1963.

When Connie was young, her family moved from Rhodes, IA to State Street (Hwy 6) in Colfax, IA.  She attended Colfax Elementary, Junior High, and High School, but dropped out before graduating.  She later attained her GED after Terry started grade school.  Growing up she was involved in various activities including Girl Scouts.  She worked as a babysitter, at the Mary Hartman Cafe and at a carpet shop in Colfax. Around 1972 she followed a cousin and niece and went to work at DeLong Sportswear in Grinnell, IA making sports jackets.  In 1974, she again followed them and started working at Blue Cross Blue Shield (the “Blues”) in Des Moines.  While there she worked in Medicare, Subscriber’s Service and finally Medical at the Ruan Center before retiring after 22+ years on June 30, 1996 (the same day Terry bought his first house in Owatonna).  As an adult Connie was also involved in various groups such as the Jaycee’ttes, while husband, Marvin, was a Jaycee.

Connie admitted she was terrible at remembering things and especially names.  So, no matter how old a person was, if you were female she called you “Sis” and if you were male she called you “Bud”!  For those she did remember, she usually had a nickname for them … “Lulee” or “Witchiepoo” for her beloved sister Lila; “Bones”; “Stephanzie” (I’ll be nice!); “Dummy”; “Miscellaneous”; “Mason City Linde”; “Sister”; “Judith”; “Big Karen”; “Foxy Lady”; and, of course, for Terry it was always “Snoop”!

Connie was very much a family and friends’ person.  And nothing brought her more joy than playing cards, especially around the dinner table. She loved to play solitaire (“Soli”), cribbage, canasta and New Years Eve penny poker. On either side of the family, as soon as the meal was done, you could count on Connie to say “okay, let’s get to the more important things in life” (i.e. let’s play cards!).

Connie always felt she was the underdog.  Yet, she was the strongest, kindest, most loving person anyone could ever ask for.  She never wanted much for herself, she always wanted for others to be taken care of.  She would literally give you the shirt off her back, with love, and no expectation of being repaid. “Are you sure you have 50 cents in your pocket?”  “Here, take this. I don’t want any arguments! But, shoosh, don’t tell Uncle Marvie, it’ll just upset him!!!”

Connie loved animals.  Watching the squirrels out their picture window after she retired was a favorite.  But most importantly, Connie was beholden to dogs/“pooches” which she called her “babies”! Many times, everyone, including Terry, would play second fiddle to her “Babies”!

With declining health and dementia, Connie went to live at Park Centre NH in Newton, IA, in July 2020, where she received good care and was loved.  After the passing of her husband in November 2021, Connie moved to Owatonna, MN, on February 23, 2022.

Special notes of appreciation go to Ken Ringhofer, Dr. Tim Van Gelder, Dr. Brian Bunkers, Seasons Hospice, and those caregivers who genuinely cared for and loved her.

My Mom was my foundation, my greatest love.

As the Bobby Goldsboro song said, “You were mine, for a little while.”

“My Mudder” by Junior Bear.

“Oh, my Mama, you are my Mama!  You are the best Mama! I love you soo much!”

Left to honor and cherish Connie’s memory will be her only son, Terry;  brothers-in-law Jim (Marlene) Carlyle, Donnie (Carolyn) Carlyle, Wayne “Oscar” Carlyle, and sister-in-law Marilyn (Steve) Knode. Along with many nieces, nephews, cousins, a host of friends, extended “family” and even extended Owatonna family for sure! Preceding Connie in death were her husband, Marvin E. Carlyle; her parents, Elmer and Clara Hoy; her sister and brother-in-law, Lila and Jack Main; her brother and sister-in-law, Lyle and Phyllis Hoy; and, most importantly, her beloved dog, Missy Jo.