Obituary for Clara Oberman
Clara Lousie Oberman, 87, passed away April 10, 2023. Funeral services take place at 12 pm on Thursday, April 13, at Lemke Funeral Homes — South Chapel. A visitation occurs 2 hours prior from 10 am until the service hour at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Clinton Lawn Cemetery. Lemke Funeral Homes assisted the family with arrangements.
Clara was born on May 30, 1935 at her home near Maquoketa, Iowa, to Merle and Carrie (Ostert) Caraway. She graduated at Monmouth, Iowa, in 1952. Clara attended 1st and half of 2nd grade in a one room school house near Iron Hill.
Clara married Leo Oberman on July 22, 1954. The moved to Clinton in December of 1955 when Leo was discharged from the Navy.
Before marriage Clara worked at Schultz Bros store in Maquoketa, L.C. Hannah’s Agency in Monmouth, and Collins in Cedar Rapids, as well as assisting in several homes. She turned down the offer from a teacher to pay for her college education in in 1952 and again in 1953. After she was married, she worked at Collins and L.C. Hannah’s doing income taxes and clerking auctions.
After moving to Clinton, Leo and Clara preferred she be a stay-at-home mom (which all 3 children say she accomplished incredibly well!) She could make a dollar stretch so far and only worked from time to time, babysitting, car-hopping at Ted’s and Green Basket’s Drive Ins, City Directory, Federal Census, Nielsen’s and Promotional Fulfillment. Clara took the Block Income Tax course in Clinton. She volunteered for several years, the only female in the RSVP Tax Preparation location.
When the Regency Retirement Residence was built, Leo and Clara were excited to be among the first residents in November 1997. Leo passed away in September 2012.
Clara is survived by her three children – Roger (Sue) Oberman of South Carolina, Russell (Valerie) Oberman
of Davenport and Carla (Matt) Vawter of Cedar Rapids; five granddaughters – JoyAnn, Kayla, Clare, Christina and Hailey; two step-granddaughters ; six step-grandsons, including Andrew Zirbes of Texas; three brothers – Donald Caraway and Jim Caraway both of the Cedar Rapids area and Jack Caraway of California; four sisters – Shirley Langhurst of Cedar Rapids, Judy (Ken) Braswell of Louisiana, Anna Mae (Larry) Schmoekel of Indiana and Mona (Mike) Knadle of South Dakota; seven great-grandchildren; sister-in-law – Dorothy Donnelly of Oregon; with several cousins; nieces; nephews and friends.
Clara was preceded in death by her husband Leo, parents, father and mother-in-law, Edwin and Freida, Selma Oberman, premature daughter Beth Louise, sister-in-laws - Joyce Oberman, Nancy Caraway and Rose Caraway, brother-in-laws – Jack Schimberg, Bob Langhurst, Ray Oberman and George Donnelly, and all of her uncles and aunts who were very special to her.
Memorials may be directed to the wishes of the family.
Clara was born on May 30, 1935 at her home near Maquoketa, Iowa, to Merle and Carrie (Ostert) Caraway. She graduated at Monmouth, Iowa, in 1952. Clara attended 1st and half of 2nd grade in a one room school house near Iron Hill.
Clara married Leo Oberman on July 22, 1954. The moved to Clinton in December of 1955 when Leo was discharged from the Navy.
Before marriage Clara worked at Schultz Bros store in Maquoketa, L.C. Hannah’s Agency in Monmouth, and Collins in Cedar Rapids, as well as assisting in several homes. She turned down the offer from a teacher to pay for her college education in in 1952 and again in 1953. After she was married, she worked at Collins and L.C. Hannah’s doing income taxes and clerking auctions.
After moving to Clinton, Leo and Clara preferred she be a stay-at-home mom (which all 3 children say she accomplished incredibly well!) She could make a dollar stretch so far and only worked from time to time, babysitting, car-hopping at Ted’s and Green Basket’s Drive Ins, City Directory, Federal Census, Nielsen’s and Promotional Fulfillment. Clara took the Block Income Tax course in Clinton. She volunteered for several years, the only female in the RSVP Tax Preparation location.
When the Regency Retirement Residence was built, Leo and Clara were excited to be among the first residents in November 1997. Leo passed away in September 2012.
Clara is survived by her three children – Roger (Sue) Oberman of South Carolina, Russell (Valerie) Oberman
of Davenport and Carla (Matt) Vawter of Cedar Rapids; five granddaughters – JoyAnn, Kayla, Clare, Christina and Hailey; two step-granddaughters ; six step-grandsons, including Andrew Zirbes of Texas; three brothers – Donald Caraway and Jim Caraway both of the Cedar Rapids area and Jack Caraway of California; four sisters – Shirley Langhurst of Cedar Rapids, Judy (Ken) Braswell of Louisiana, Anna Mae (Larry) Schmoekel of Indiana and Mona (Mike) Knadle of South Dakota; seven great-grandchildren; sister-in-law – Dorothy Donnelly of Oregon; with several cousins; nieces; nephews and friends.
Clara was preceded in death by her husband Leo, parents, father and mother-in-law, Edwin and Freida, Selma Oberman, premature daughter Beth Louise, sister-in-laws - Joyce Oberman, Nancy Caraway and Rose Caraway, brother-in-laws – Jack Schimberg, Bob Langhurst, Ray Oberman and George Donnelly, and all of her uncles and aunts who were very special to her.
Memorials may be directed to the wishes of the family.