Carol Capesius

Carol Catherine Capesius, age 64, of Bode, passed away peacefully on October 30, 2025, at Good Samaritan Care Center in Algona after a courageous seven-year battle with brain cancer. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, November 4th, at Divine Mercy Catholic Parish – St. Joseph Catholic Church in St. Joe. Burial will follow in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4:00 to 6:30 p.m. Monday at St. Joseph Catholic Church.
Carol Catherine Bleich, the daughter of Lewis and Hazel Alma (Sankey) Bleich, was born on March 17, 1961, in Algona. She graduated from Algona High School in 1979, where she excelled both in the classroom and in track and field, proudly winning a state championship in the 4x880-yard relay. After graduation, she worked at Iowa State Bank before attending NIACC for nursing and became a Registered Nurse. For 35 years, she touched countless lives as a nurse and the Director of Nursing at the Humboldt North Care Center, before retiring in 2019. Even after retiring, she continued to share her wisdom by teaching nurse aide courses at ICCC.
On February 28, 1987, Carol was united in marriage with Robert Capesius. Together they built a home filled with love and faith in the St. Joe community where they lived, farmed, and raised their family. Carol was a devoted member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, where she generously gave her time helping with funeral lunches and supporting parish events.
Carol lived her life with beauty, creativity, and joy. She found peace and pride in sewing and quilting, designing and crafting many beautiful quilts that reflected her patient and loving spirit. She had a gift for nurturing life, whether through her colorful gardens, wildflower patch, or her tender care for her family. Carol deeply valued her health and well-being; she was a dedicated walker who rarely missed a day, faithfully reaching her 10,000 steps no matter the weather. Fitness and healthy living were an important part of her daily routine, and she took pride in eating well and staying active. Carol also loved baking and experimenting with new recipes, much to the delight of her family. She especially enjoyed hosting family dinners for her children and grandchildren, taking pride in preparing full, home-cooked meals-always complete with delicious desserts. She loved making each grandchild's birthday extra special by baking a personalized cake just for them, a sweet tradition they looked forward to every year. At home, she was always busy cooking, cleaning, or quilting, but when she did take a moment to rest, she enjoyed watching her favorite cooking shows, especially The Pioneer Woman with Ree Drummond.
Above all, Carol's greatest joy came from her family. She supported her children and grandchildren with unwavering love-attending countless sporting events, concerts, graduations, and activities. Her home was a place of laughter and love, especially during sleepovers with her grandchildren, where they baked, crafted, gardened, read many stories, and played with kittens. Carol also cherished traveling with her family, especially organizing the annual Capesius-Baker-Streit trip to Lake Winnibigosh in Northern Minnesota. She and Bob treasured their winter getaways together to places like Las Vegas, Mexico, and Florida, creating lifelong memories.
Left to cherish Carol's memory are her husband of 38 years, Bob; her children Brian (Maria) Capesius of Ames, Brett (Brittany) Capesius of Algona, Bethany (Shane) Conlin of Knoxville, and Brad (Sophia) Capesius of West Bend; her beloved grandchildren Luke, Juliet, Gemma, Ruby, Cameron, Walker, Elmer, and Caroline; and her siblings Randy (Jan) Bleich of Quincy, IL, Merle (Sue) Bleich of St. Joe, Susan (Dean) Wenthe of West Des Moines, Kevin (Mary) Bleich of Algona, Kelly Bleich of Garner, Tina Bleich of Algona, and Scott (Angie) Bleich of Gilbert. She is also survived by her many loving nieces and nephews, all of whom held a special place in her heart. She was preceded in death by her parents and sisters, Gloria and Becky Bleich.
Memorials may be made in Carol's name to the Kossuth County Cancer Support Foundation or Bishop Garrigan Bear Care. The Lentz Funeral Home in Algona is serving the family. Condolences may be left at www.lentzfuneralhome.com.