Carroll Cihlar

Carroll J. (Lehnert) Cihlar, 93, of Sturgeon Bay WI, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 21, 2018, surrounded by her large and loving family. Born in Milwaukee, WI on August 30, 1924 to Peter and Otillia (Haack) Lehnert, she was the second oldest of four children.  Carroll was baptized and later confirmed at Froedert Luthern Church in Milwaukee by Pastor Pflought.  The family later returned to their hometown of Rio Creek, WI where she attended grade school.  She attended Algoma High School where she graduated with honors.  She then went on to Bellin Hospital School of Nursing and graduated in 1945.  After also attending 3 years at Cook County School of Nursing in Chicago, she was assigned a job in Oakridge, Tennessee at a military hospital in the OB Ward.  She would reminisce how very busy they were, caring for and feeding the many babies in the ward. It was a huge guarded top-secret facility, as this base was instrumental to the making of the first atomic bomb. 

She met her loving husband, Joseph W. Cihlar, after he returned from WWII, at a dance at the DugOut in Algoma in 1945.  They were married February 23rd, 1946 by Father Flasch in Milwaukee, WI.  They were blessed with 5 children.

After they were married Carroll worked as an Registered Nurse at Olsen Hospital in Sturgeon Bay.  Later in life, as a homemaker she was a devoted volunteer for the Red Cross and the Girl Scouts for many years. She was also an avid card player and especially enjoyed playing Sheepshead with “the gang” (the Zettles, Hobarts, Schmelzers, Marion Schlise and Fr. Birdsall.)

She always was a lover of animals.  Little did her oldest daughter know that bringing home her first kitten from school would lead to a menagerie of animals over the years including cats, dogs, ducks, chameleons, rabbits, horses and on and on!

She loved watching Shirley Temple movies with the grandchildren, surrounding them with the many stuffed animals that she kept for them!

Carroll was a member of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church and was active with the Rachel Circle and funeral committee for many years. She was also very involved with the Confirmation committee, writing personal notes to all the confirmants in their Bibles.

Carroll is survived by her children Charlotte (Lynn) LaCrosse, Gregory (Joanne) Cihlar, Laura (Jon) Tice, Barbara (David Maier) Cihlar all of Sturgeon Bay, and Jospeh (Lisa) Cihlar of Brodhead, WI.  She is further survived by 11 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren, sisters-in-law Dorothy Cihlar and Janice Lehnert as well as many nieces & nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband Joseph, her parents, and brothers Warren, Roy, and James.

Carroll will always be remembered for her love of family, huge heart, her joyful laugh, her inspiring sense of gratitude and awe, her faith, and her impulse to share unconditional love with anyone in need.

Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m. Monday, March 26, 2018 at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Sturgeon Bay with entombment at St. Joseph Cemetery Mausoleum.   Friends may call on Monday at the church from 9:30 am until the time of service.  Memorials may be directed to the Door County Humane Society.  Forbes Funeral Home is assisting the family.  On line condolences may be offered at www.forbesfuneralhome .com

Special thanks to the nurses and staff at Sturgeon Bay Health Services for their kindness and support.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.