Anna M. Carstens

Anna M. Carstens, 90, of Blue Grass, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, January 12, 2016 at Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House in Bettendorf. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, January 18, 2016 at St. Mark Lutheran Church in Davenport. Visitation will be from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. Sunday, January 17, 2016 at the Runge Mortuary. Visitation will also be held for one hour prior to the service at the church on Monday. Burial will be in Fairmount Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Shriner's Children's Hospital, Blue Grass Volunteer Fire Department, Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House or St. Mark Lutheran Church. Online condolences and tributes may be expressed at www.rungemortuary.com. Anna was born on January 15, 1925 in Davenport, the daughter of Jens and Alvina (Sass) Nielsen. She was united in marriage to Kermit Carstens on February 27, 1943 in Colorado Springs, CO. He passed away on October 23, 1991. Anna retired from Younkers and loved working on crossword puzzles, bowling, bunco, going on bus tours with her husband, attending her grandchildren's activities and reading the newspaper every day. Her memberships included St. Mark Lutheran Church, Davenport, where she taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School; Women's Bowling Association for nearly 50 years; Reinbow Riders Saddle Club; Northwest Turners; Lerdertoffel; St. Mark Church Circles; Den Mother of Grotto T. Patrol where she enjoyed many years of working at the Mississippi Valley Fair; Blue Grass American Legion Auxiliary and Bunco Club. Those celebrating her life include her children, Richard Carstens, Salem, OR, Vicki (George) Bedeian, Blue Grass, and Tamara (John) Fell, Daveneport; grandchildren, Sherry (Joe) True, FL, Sandy Carstens, Salem, OR, Sonya Hirons, Salem, OR, Travis (Allison) Bedeian, Blue Grass and Kelly (David Schleusener) Bedeian, Davenport; eleven great grandchildren; and special friends: Samlee, Nancy and Rose.She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; infant son, Gerald Jay and one brother, Jens Nielsen, Jr.