Alfred Hiatt Carr, 74, of North Liberty, died unexpectantly at home on March 24, 2022, with his loving wife, Sylvia Lewis, by his side.
A celebration of his life will be held Friday, April 1, 2022 from 10:30 AM to 1 PM at Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service, Iowa City. A time of remembrance will be held at 11 AM followed by a light reception. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be directed to the Friends of the Animal Center Foundation, Doctors Without Borders or the Hawkeye Fly Fishing Association. Memorials may be sent to PO Box 167, Iowa City, Iowa 52244.
Al was born September 1, 1947, in Glen Ellyn, IL to Alfred F. and Mary H. Carr. He graduated from Cedar Rapids Washington High School where he excelled as a state and double All-American swimmer his senior year (having never previously swam competitively) and as a baseball pitcher. Al went on to attend Parsons College in Fairfield, IA on a baseball scholarship before transferring to the University of Iowa, where he graduated with a degree in English. Al was an avid reader and an eloquent writer. His path in life displayed his passion for learning and developing new skills, all while building and creating things for others. From selling real estate, constructing residential homes and small businesses, pouring gypsum foundations, to brokering long-haul transportation loads for CRST, West Side Transport, and RFK Transportation, and finally, compiling commercial appraisals, his strength in building trusting relationships with his customers was his lasting career legacy.
Al’s zest for new adventures included a love for fly fishing, camping and exploring the old west (the Black Hills, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana) and quiet trout streams in the Midwest and Southeast. An entire room of “the ponderosa” he built for he and Sylvia was just for tying flies to take on his fishing trips with Sylvia and son, AJ.
Al was a collector of toys. He had more cars and trucks than the garage could hold, motorcycles, bicycles, fly fishing equipment, canoes, campers, and a gator for hauling firewood and working in the timber at home.
Big Al was a character! He was known for being able to hold his own in a conversation with a room full of head strong women, sipping on a cocktail and sharing stories for hours with old (and new) friends, and entertaining his grandkids with games and activities that weren’t always parent approved. His kids sometimes wondered if he was fully qualified to provide adult supervision!
A testament to who Al was, and how he lived his life, is how close he remained with friends he met over the decades. Once Al embraced you in his life, you were there to stay as part of his heart. That included his four-legged children, beloved Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers, Cassie, Murphy, Aoife and Finn.
Al lived a full life, and he wasn’t ready to be done. He had plans! He was beloved by many and will be dearly missed. Al is survived by his wife and best friend of 26 years, Sylvia Lewis, daughter Chaney Yeast (Andy), son Alfred John (AJ) Carr (Emily), grandchildren Nick Yeast (Mckenna Dencklau), Elly Yeast, Gracie Carr and Abby Carr, sister Mary Lynn Gates, and countless friends who considered him family.
He is preceded in death by his parents, brother Bill Carr, and brother-in-law Bob Gates.
Online condolences may be shared at www.lensingfuneral.com
Published by Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service – Iowa City on Mar. 27, 2022.
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