William (Bill) E. Foval, age 88 of Carroll, Iowa, passed away on Tuesday, March 26, 2024 at St. Anthony Nursing Home in Carroll.
Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 A.M. on Monday, April 1, 2024 at St. Lawrence Catholic Church – St. John Paul II Parish in Carroll with Fr. Craig Collison as Celebrant assisted by Deacon Alan Loew. Lectors for the Mass will be Kara Molitor, Zane Johnson and Jim Molitor. Gift bearers will be Tanner North and Brody Rogers. Music for the Mass will be by Kathy Halbur and Jake Gute. Casket bearers will be Bill’s grandchildren and great-grandchild: Kristin Molitor, Kara Molitor, Katy Molitor, Claire Johnson, Zane Johnson, Ryan North, Tanner North and Brody Rogers. Burial will be in Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Carroll with military honors by the Carroll American Legion.
A Rosary will be held at Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Carroll at 5:00 P.M. on Sunday, March 31st with visitation following from 5:30-7 P.M. The casket will be moved to St. Lawrence Church at 9:30 A.M. on Monday, April 1st where visitation will resume until 10:15 A.M. prior to the Mass.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested for a later designation.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Carroll and online condolences may be left for the family at www.dahnandwoodhouse.com.
Bill was born on November 11, 1935 in Albert City, Iowa to Eugene and Elvena (Johnsen) Foval. Instead of enrolling in college after high school, he enlisted in the Marine Corps in the fall of 1953. After completing his training at Camp Pendleton in California, he was assigned to the 3rd Division in Japan during the Korean War. He spent eleven months driving a truck before heading back to Camp Pendleton, where he was stationed until his honorable discharge as a staff sergeant in November 1956.
Ready for college, Bill enrolled at Wayne State College in Nebraska to receive his well-deserved education and chance to play the sport he loved: football. After a successful, but unfulfilling season, he transferred with a full-ride to Buena Vista College in Storm Lake, Iowa to play football and baseball. He was a first team player on both teams for all three years.
During his time in Storm Lake, he met and fell in love with Constance (Connie) Hauser. They married on December 27, 1960 in Storm Lake at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. He graduated in the spring 1961 with a degree in Physical Education and minors in History and Science, then moved to Dow City, Iowa to teach and coach football, basketball, track and baseball. Bill and Connie welcomed their first two daughters, Teri and Trudi, before moving to Glidden, Iowa in 1966 to continue his teaching and coaching career. In 1971, they welcomed their third daughter, Toni, before settling in Carroll. He took great joy teaching biology and coaching football and track to the students at Carroll High until his retirement in 1982. He wanted every child to be the best student and athlete they could be.
Retirement did not slow “Wild Bill” down at all. He continued to drive semi-trucks for Crouse Cartage Company, a job he did every summer during his years of teaching, and coached softball at Carroll High in the late 1980s. During the weeknights, he was able to pick up bowling again, joining teams in the men’s and senior’s leagues. When the weather was nice, you could often find him on a lake, fishing or boating.
Retirement also allowed more time for one of his greatest passions: horses. Having raised and boarded horses during his time in Glidden and Carroll, Bill and Connie made the move to an acreage near Roselle, Iowa in the 1990s so he could care for his beloved animals full-time.
Bill cherished the time spent with his grandchildren and great-grandchild. He attended as many sporting events as possible and was never shy about providing advice to help make them better athletes. The coaching instinct never left him. He also enjoyed having the grandchildren out to the acreage to take them horseback riding and to show them how to care for the animals. He even allowed them to take turns naming the foals that were born.
Bill was a member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus, the Buena Vista University Alumni Association and the American Legion.
Bill is survived by his wife of 63 years, Connie Foval of Carroll; his three daughters: Teri Molitor (Jim) of Carroll, Trudi Johnson (Len) of Le Grand, and Toni North (Jamie) of Carroll; his seven grandchildren: Kristin Molitor of Carroll, Kara Molitor (Michael Kostka) of Burbank, CA, Katy Molitor of Urbandale, Claire Johnson of Denver, CO, Zane Johnson of Ankeny, Ryan North of Carroll, and Tanner North of Carroll; one great-grandson: Brody Rogers of Carroll; his siblings: Carol Johnson of Madison, WI, Betty Schott (twin sister) of Sioux Center, and Bruce Foval of Fort Dodge; and many beloved nieces and nephews. Bill is also survived by a number of brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.
Bill is preceded in death by his parents; his sister and her husband: Shirley and John Lackman; his brother-in-law: William Johnson; and his parents-in-law: Grace and Murlin Hauser.