Bernice Carmody

Bernice Irene Carmody, 95, 1000 N. Eisenhower, Mason City, died Sunday, March 30, 2014 at the Muse-Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit, Mason City.

     A funeral service will be held Wednesday, April 2, 2014, at 10 a.m., at Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 101 N. 4th St., Clear Lake, with Rev. John Scherb and Rev. Robert Dodge officiating.  Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel.  Interment will be at the Clear Lake Cemetery. Memorials may be given to the Bernice Carmody Memorial Fund in care of Mary Borrill, 1108 3rd Ave S., Clear Lake, Iowa, 50428

     Bernice Irene (Houts) Carmody, was born July 25, 1918 to Mary Ellen (Morrison) Houts and Ervin A. Houts in Estherville, Iowa.  In 1923 the family moved to Mason City. She attended school in Mason City finishing her junior year.  She played basketball in high school.  She also played on softball leagues in Mason City while growing up and continued in women’s softball in Mason City and Clear Lake.  In 1937 she married Lloyd Dale Carmody of Manly.  They farmed in Manly for several years.  They lived in Swaledale and moved to Clear Lake in 1964.  Lloyd passed away June 18, 1987.  She married LeRoy “Slim” Smith in 1990.

     She was interested in all sports.  She bowled twice a week and was a member of the WIBC and “600” club since 1962.  She loved baseball, especially the Cubs and Braves.  She was on many winning bowling teams and won the City Tournament in 1977.  She also liked to golf, was a member of the Highland Park Golf Course, V.F.W. Ladies Auxiliary.  She was a member of the Swaledale United Methodist Church since 1962.

     She is survived by daughters, Mary Borrill, Clear Lake, and Sharon Carmody, Clear Lake; sons Denny (Mary) Carmody, Clear Lake, and Rev. Michael (Janis) Carmody, Ft. Dodge, Iowa; six grandchildren, Kevin (Robin) Borrill, Clear Lake, Jeff (Angie) Borrill, Ames, Iowa, Tim (Mindy) Borrill, Ames, Pam Skaanning, Madison, Wisc.,  Joshua (Alicia) Carmody, Ft. Dodge, and Jeremy (Sarah) Carmody, Ankeny, Iowa; and ten great-grandchildren.

     Bernice was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Lloyd Carmody and LeRoy “Slim” Smith; brother, Jesse Houts; and sister, Naomi Turner; son-in-law, Kenneth Borrill; granddaughter-in-law, Sandy Borrill; grandson, Christopher Carmody; and great-grandsons, Jason Skaanning and Taylor Borrill.