Carl L. Lilly

Carl Lilly, 85, of Mount Ayr, passed away Sept. 1, 2025, at the Mount Ayr Health Care Center. Graveside services will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 6, at the Greenlawn Cemetery at Afton.

Memorials are to EveryStep Hospice in Mount Ayr. Armstrong Funeral Home in Mount Ayr is in charge of the arrangements.

Carl Leroy Lilly, son of Herman “Pink” & Margaret (Miller) Lilly, was born June 2, 1940, at home in Union County.

Carl grew up at Afton with a strong work ethic. He farmed in addition to working several years at a quarry between Winterset and Greenfield.

Carl married Barbara Kenagy and to this marriage, five children were born: Rick, Randy, Riley, Ron and Roxanne.

Carl moved into Shannon City in the early 1980s. In the early 2000s, Carl met Elaine Boyer. After teaching her to dance, they enjoyed going to country music jams, listening to music and dancing together. Carl and Elaine enjoyed sharing their time, families and home together. Elaine’s family welcomed Carl into their family.

Carl loved animals. He had horses and sheep, to mention a few. He would tend to the animals even while living in Mount Ayr. Carl’s love for horses led him to try and break horses into his 60s. Elaine passed away on Oct. 15, 2019.

Survivors include his children: Randy (Jodie) Lilly of Shannon City, Riley (Debbie) Lilly of Pollock, Missouri, Roxanne (Rodney Ray) Dunning of Creston; several grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren; Elaine’s daughters and their families: Ardis (Jeff) Dawson of Decatur and Debra (Gary) Saville of Mount Ayr; sisters-in-law, Cheri Lilly of Afton and Elaine Webb of Cromwell; nieces, nephews and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two sons, Rick and Ron and two brothers, Art and Fred.