
- August 29, 1941 - November 25, 2020
- Ankeny, Iowa
of Carl's Passing
- In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to Holy Family Catholic School
-
Holy Family School
1265 East 9th Street
Des Moines, IA 50316
Arrangements made by
Memorial Services of Iowa
4208 North Ankeny Blvd.
Ankeny,
IA
50023
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Memories & Candles
Previous
“Carol, Craig and Cindy: I was a 20 year old single mother when I moved to Ankeny. I did not know anyone....I was blessed to find Carol and Carl to...Read More »
”
1 of 10 | Posted by: Rhonda Walker Prine - Friend
“I have not seen Carl For many years but remember him very fondly. He will be in my prayers and you and your family please except my condolences.
”
2 of 10 | Posted by: Donna Kadlec
“Please know that Carl was a Very Special Uncle and my Godfather! He will be GREATLY MISSED by so many of his family and friends! Sending you all our...Read More »
”
3 of 10 | Posted by: Peggy (Kramer) Kimani
“Carol, Cindy, and Craig: Carl was one of the nicest individuals we've known. He was such a kind and generous man. He always had a smile on his...Read More »
”
4 of 10 | Posted by: Mary Cochran - Ankeny, IA
“Even though I was 12 years younger than Carl, he was always a good guy. Rest in peace cousin.
”
5 of 10 | Posted by: Daniel Potaracke
“Carole and Family - I have such fond memories of working with Carl at Integra Service Corporation. He was hardworking, friendly and a wonderful human...Read More »
”
6 of 10 | Posted by: Deanna Cox Ingebretsen - IA
“My deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Carl. Carl had always treated me very well while growing up as his nephew. One true memory I have...Read More »
”
7 of 10 | Posted by: Gary Moore - La Crosse, WI
“So sorry Carole and family. Angie, Carol and Carl Pickett
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8 of 10 | Posted by: Carol Pickett - Friend
“My sympathies to the family! Rest in peace cousin Carl.
”
9 of 10 | Posted by: Daniel Potaracke
“So sorry to hear about Carl's death. We just saw him at Mass last weekend and it doesn't seem possible. We will remember him and your family in our...Read More »
”
10 of 10 | Posted by: Jackie and Joe Carey (OLIH musicians) - IA

Carl B. Potaracke, 79, of Ankeny passed away November 25, 2020.
Funeral mass will be held, 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, December 1, 2020 at Our Ladies of Immaculate Heart Church in Ankeny.
The mass is available via livestream at: https://olih-church.squarespace.com/mass
Visitation will be held Monday, November 30, 2020 from 5-7 p.m. at Memorial Services of Iowa Funeral Home (4208 N. Ankeny Blvd).
Carl was a dedicated family man, first as one of ten children growing up on his family's farm on Grandad's Bluff in La Crosse, WI, and remained close to his family his entire life. He enjoyed writing and receiving letters, when that was the style, and later in life adopted email and video chat as a way to stay in touch with relatives spread across the country.
Carl was a devoted son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, father in-law, son in-law and brother in-law. He married his wife, Carole, in 1968 and had a daughter, Cindi, and a son, Craig. The family moved from Wisconsin to Ankeny, IA in 1978 where he and his wife lived in the same home until his passing.
Carl was a devout Catholic. He served as mass lector for more than 50 years first at Saint Patrick's Church in Onalaska, WI and later at Our Ladies of Immaculate Heart Church, and briefly served as an instructor for his children's Sunday school.
Carl was an honorable Veteran of the United States Army in which he served in Germany for four years in the 1960s.
He was a fixer of things and the most honest and hardest worker of those who knew him. He worked at several different occupations through his life where it was his job to maintain or fix things. He filed fingerprints for the FBI. He worked the boiler room for Viterbo College, Saint Rose Convent and Saint Francis Hospital in La Crosse. He maintained semi-trucks for his brother-in-law's trucking business, the job that brought he and his family to Iowa. His last jobs were managing maintenance and custodial departments first for a hospital in Des Moines, and then for several different building maintenance companies with contracts throughout the city. He was a restless retiree choosing to work part time including the day he passed.
Carl was a giving friend and neighbor. His entire life, Carl donated blood to the Red Cross through his church. In the winter he would regularly shovel and plow the walks of up and down the street on which his lived. He loved to work with wood and made several pieces of furniture and yard ornaments and birdhouses for family and friends alike.
Carl was a diehard Green Bay Packers fan. As a native of Wisconsin, Carl's sole sporting interest was watching Packers games on Sunday in the fall. For his 70th birthday, his family bought him a share in the publicly held team making him an official Packers shareholder. He proudly displayed his stock certificate above his favorite reclining chair.
Carl is survived by his wife, Carole; his daughter, Cindi Broekemeier and her husband Ron of Maple Grove, MN; his son Craig, his wife Steph and their daughter Ande Nola of Granville, OH; his brother George; his sisters Patsy, Paulette, and Barbara, as well as many nieces and nephews.
Carl was preceded in death by his father George, his mother Viola; his brothers Robert, Kenneth, and Richard, and his sisters Jeanette and Geraldine.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to Holy Family Catholic School, 1265 East 9th Street, Des Moines, IA 50316, Phone: 515-262-8025, www.hfcsdm.org
Visitation
November 30, 2020
5:00 PM
to 7:00 PM
Ankeny Memorial Funeral Home & Cemetery
4208 North Ankeny Blvd.
Ankeny, IA 50023
(515) 964-0592
Mass of Christian Burial
December 01, 2020
10:30 AM
Our Lady's Immaculate Heart
510 East 1st Street
Ankeny, IA 50021
(515) 964-3038
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Carol, Craig and Cindy: I was a 20 year old single mother when I moved to Ankeny. I did not know anyone....I was blessed to find Carol and Carl to take care of Josh. A lasting friendship through the years. I really don’t know what I would have done without you both. RIP Carl. Carol, Craig and Cindy and families...hold onto your many wonderful memories. Until you meet again.❤
Posted by: Rhonda Walker Prine - Friend Nov 29, 2020
I have not seen Carl For many years but remember him very fondly. He will be in my prayers and you and your family please except my condolences.
Posted by: Donna Kadlec Nov 29, 2020
Please know that Carl was a Very Special Uncle and my Godfather! He will be GREATLY MISSED by so many of his family and friends! Sending you all our Love and Prayers during this difficult time
Posted by: Peggy (Kramer) Kimani Nov 29, 2020
Carol, Cindy, and Craig: Carl was one of the nicest individuals we've known. He was such a kind and generous man. He always had a smile on his face when I would come to pick-up Jason. We send our prayers to you all!
Dan and Mary Cochran
Posted by: Mary Cochran - Ankeny, IA - Friend Nov 29, 2020
Even though I was 12 years younger than Carl, he was always a good guy. Rest in peace cousin.
Posted by: Daniel Potaracke Nov 29, 2020
Carole and Family - I have such fond memories of working with Carl at Integra Service Corporation. He was hardworking, friendly and a wonderful human being. He was a much needed presence at Integra and skilled at fixing things! I also appreciated the gifts of yours and Carl's handmade holiday gifts each year - I always looked forward to them. I will also remember how my dad could never pronounce his last name right - I did my best to
Carole and Family - I have such fond memories of working with Carl at Integra Service Corporation. He was hardworking, friendly and a wonderful human being. He was a much needed presence at Integra and skilled at fixing things! I also appreciated the gifts of yours and Carl's handmade holiday gifts each year - I always looked forward to them. I will also remember how my dad could never pronounce his last name right - I did my best to teach him to no success. I know Carl is in heavenly peace and with you always. Peace to all of you as well. Warm regards, Deanna.
Posted by: Deanna Cox Ingebretsen - Des Moines, IA - Friend Nov 29, 2020
My deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Carl. Carl had always treated me very well while growing up as his nephew. One true memory I have are the times he would travel from the farm to pick me up and travel to take beef cattle to the butcher and would explain how the process works. He would also take time out on the farm work to show me how to do certain work on the farm. These are memories I will never forget along with several others throughout the years. Carl will truly be missed.
Posted by: Gary Moore - La Crosse, WI Nov 29, 2020
So sorry Carole and family.
Angie, Carol and Carl Pickett
Posted by: Carol Pickett - Friend Nov 29, 2020
My sympathies to the family! Rest in peace cousin Carl.
Posted by: Daniel Potaracke Nov 28, 2020
So sorry to hear about Carl's death. We just saw him at Mass last weekend and it doesn't seem possible. We will remember him and your family in our prayers. He was a great lector at OLIH. His obituary was beautifully written. He sounds like a wonderful man! God bless you and comfort you during this time. Peace and Prayers!
Posted by: Jackie and Joe Carey (OLIH musicians) - Ankeny, IA - Acquaintance Nov 28, 2020