Carol H Langin

Obituary of Carol H Langin

Carol H. Langin, age 73, of Iowa City, passed away on Monday, August 18, 2025, at her home.

She was born on October 12, 1951, in Wilmar, MN. Her parents, Clarence Kenneth Ruter and Sylvia Lorraine Ellingson together had 8 children, Carol being the second child. She was raised primarily in South Dakota and lived the country life in her youth. On the farm she cultivated a love of flowers, animals and a devotion to the Christian faith. She graduated from Garretson High School in 1969. In high school, Carol took great pleasure in music and sports. She loved to dance to live music and attend sports competitions. She attended South Dakota State University and pursued Sociology and was active in the Christian youth group on campus. She continued to enjoy attending sporting events and met and married an athlete there. She was later a Hawkeye fan and had followed them to bowls including the Orange Bowl x 2, Outback Bowl x 2 and Rose Bowl. She could frequently be found cheering on her grandchildren in their sporting endeavors.

She was married to Michael L Langin from 1974 to 2003, when they divorced. Her significant other for 25 years was Dennis J. Mahr. Carol and Dennis raised Sophie Lenore Langin after her father, Andrew Langin, died at age 39. Sophie graduated from North High School in 2023. As a couple, and a trio, they traveled extensively, such as to Mala Mala Resort & Capetown, SA., London, Venice, Paris, Rome, Vancouver, Costa Rica, Grand Cayman, Adelaide, Toronto and Barbados. They stayed at actual wineries such as Chappalet, Silvestrin, White hall Lane (Napa Valley) and Seppeltsfield in Barossa Valley, Australia.

Carol very much enjoyed a luxurious lifestyle. She and Dennis once took the Chunnel high speed train from London to Paris to buy a hat at Galeries Lafyette. She went on to wear this hat to the Kentucky Derby. They enjoyed the Queen view as 2 of 800 people at the 800-year anniversary of the Magna Carta. They did see the Queen of England and family with the London Philharmonic Orchestra outside London. They brought Sophie to see the famous Broadway performances of Hamilton with its original cast as well as Cats.

In life Carol Langin had a truly adventurous spirit. Her most repeated memory to friends was that she had ridden a young elephant while staying with Dennis at the Royal Livingston Hotel. Victoria Falls, Zambia. This elephant took her through the flooding Zambeeze River and through the jungle. As the story goes, she was quite scared because this particular elephant kept trying to scrape her off of his back using the surrounding trees!

They golfed whenever possible including at New South Wales Golf Club, Sydney, Australia (#30 in the world), Pebble Beach (#14 in the world), Kiawah Island Ocean Course (#60), TPC Sawgrass (#41 in the U.S.), TPC Scottsdale, Kapulua Plantation (#23 in the U.S.) and Ocean Courses, Maui, Torrey Pines North and South, Waialae Country Club, Oahu, Sandy Lane (Barbados) and many more.

They ate at many Wine Spectator Grand Award-winning restaurants. They dined at many Michelin starred restaurants, including Le Bernardin (NYC), Tour D'Argent and Le Taillevent (Paris), Emeril's (New Orleans), Joel Rubuchon (Las Vegas) and Spago (Beverly Hills). They went to private dinners in the kitchen at the Modern (NYC) and with Alice Waters at Chez Panisse (Oakland). In 2023 they went to Michelin 3-star restaurants in Milan (Restaurant Cracco) and Florence, Italy (Enoteca Pinchiorri). They attended many wine events, including Vin Nebraska (x 2), Wine Spectator Wine Weekend in NYC and Heart's Delight (D.C.)

There were so many amazing talents Carol had. She was a golfing member of the Sioux City Country Club for nearly 20 years. She had owned a sailboat and had been a "B" level tournament tennis player. She was a Master Gardener and at one time had a real estate license. She successfully dabbled in everything. Starting in her youth with making clothes and playing acoustic guitar, moving on to flower arranging, watercolor and oil painting, and quilting.

She made many gifts for friends and family and created many floral pieces for their weddings and parties. She loved planning parties as well and baking Christmas cookies and birthday cakes for the children in her life. She used her sewing machines to create multilayered prom dresses.

Carol could do woodworking and even stained glass. She was commissioned by Dr. Paul and Mrs. Penny Fee of Sioux City Iowa to create a 5-foot Christmas tree in stained glass to be showcased on the upper balcony of their Victorian home in Better Homes and Gardens magazine. She used college Photoshop class to take thousands of Photographs with her Mark 11 digital camera. Some of her photos were once displayed on the walls of her daughter's restaurant in Iowa City, the Red Avocado.

She has worked in office positions, including at the Mid-American Energy headquarters in Sioux City from 1990 - 1999 in accounts payable, billing and at the front desk, where she had to know every employee to "buzz" them in. From 1999 to October 2023, she worked for the Law Office of Dennis J. Mahr. Upon retirement Carol relocated to Iowa City, Iowa to be with her grandchildren and daughters, whom she greatly cherished.

She was preceded in death by her father Clarence Ruter, her grandparents: Annie and Claus Ruter, Raghnild and Irvin Ellingson, former husband Michael and son, Andrew Langin. She is survived by her mother Sylvia(Ruter) Sorlien, her siblings: Karen Karoly, Bonnie (Bill) Koch, Mark (Cheryl), Debbie (Tom) Barker, Kelly, Dawn Eli, David (Stephanie),Scottie, Susan (Yancey) Sterner and her daughters: Julia and Rachael Langin; five grandchildren: Sophie Langin, Cecilia and Oskar Burns, and Amelia and Arlo Thayer and their loving grandfather, Dennis Mahr.

Funeral arrangements are being provided by loved ones. To share a thought, memory or condolence with her family please visit Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service website @ www.gayandciha.com.

A graveside service will be held at Turkey Valley Cemetery in South Dakota, with a Celebration of Life held over Labor Day Weekend.