Carolyn Mae (Bailey) Ostrander

Carolyn Mae (Bailey) Ostrander age 87 of Manchester IA, formerly of Eastman, WI, passed away August 1, 2022, at the Good Neighbor Home in Manchester, IA.  Carolyn was born on July 20, 1935, in Savannah, Il to Ralph and Frances (Diehl) Bailey. She was the oldest girl in a family of 10 children. Since she was the oldest girl, she learned from an early age how to take care of family. She was an athlete and played baseball and softball in high school. Over her young life she had many jobs including working at Dairy Dream, where she learned to get the perfect spiral on top of an ice cream cone. Carolyn wed Bobbie J. Ostrander on October 1st, 1955, in Prairie du Chien, WI. At the time of Bobbie’s passing in 2016, they were married for 61 years.  She held many jobs in her adult life and enjoyed all of them. They included working at Betty’s Hallmark, Ben Franklin, Family Dollar and the Piggly Wiggly in Commerce Court Mall in Prairie du Chien, WI. Her favorite job though was working around the house. Constantly cleaning and taking care of her family. She was a great cook and baker and was known for her delicious desserts and her Potato salad. Carolyn would later develop dementia and Parkinson’s disease and lived out her final years at Marietta’s Place in Manchester, IA. Even though she had dementia, she loved talking about the good old days with family and was always good for story about her siblings getting in trouble. Carolyn was a huge Elvis Presley fan and her room at Marietta’s place was adorned with Elvis memorabilia.

Carolyn is survived by her children Gerald (Jan) of Prairie du Chien, Wi, Kevin (Tina) of Manchester, Ia and Kelly of Boscobel, Wi, 9 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her siblings, Ralph Bailey of Fairview Heights, Il, Norma Williams of Mountain View, Mo, Jerald (Kim) Bailey of Holmes Beach, Fl, James (Judy) Bailey of Savanna, Il, Ruth (Larry) Neuendorf of Aurora, Il, Linda (Robert) Malmquist of Braselton, GA and many Nieces and Nephews. She was preceded in Death by her Husband, Bobbie, her parents, her Brother Herbert Bailey, her Sister Mary Townsend and Sister Lorraine Bailey.

A celebration of life and interment will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in her name to Marietta’s Place, 105 McClaren Drive, Manchester, Ia 52057. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Carolyn Mae (Bailey) Ostrander, please visit our floral store.