Carma Jeanne Dimke

Carma Jeanne Dimke, 88, of Grundy Center, Iowa, passed away on Monday, November 4, 2024, at Creekside Living in Grundy Center. The family was comforted knowing Robin was there by Carma’s side through her transition. Inurnment will be held privately by the family at Rose Hill Cemetery in Grundy Center. Memorials in Carma’s name may be made to one’s charity of choice, and the family asks you to honor Carma’s memory with a friendly smile and kindness to someone and to “pay it forward.”

Carma was born on May 5, 1936, the daughter of Elmer and Virginia (Needham) Petersen. She graduated from Reinbeck High School in the class of 1954. Carma married Ronald R. Venenga on September 1, 1955, at Colfax Presbyterian Church in Wellsburg, Iowa. They welcomed two children into their family. The couple later divorced. She was then united in marriage to Donald D. Dimke on September 28, 1978, and they enjoyed thirty-nine happy years together until his passing on July 25, 2018.

Carma was an administrative assistant for The Spokesman Press in Grundy Center for many years until her retirement. She was an avid reader, and she loved animals, especially her cats. Carma enjoyed traveling and going to flea markets with her husband Don. In particular, she loved their annual trips to Clear Lake, where they stayed at the Hilltop Motel; and to Ferryville, Wisconsin for an annual apple festival. She also cherished her high school class reunions and reunions with her cousins. The cousins would gather annually at the Amana Colonies. Everyone in attendance signed a notebook to chronicle every year together. Carma was particularly close with her younger brother, Doug. The two loved visiting each other to catch-up, laugh, and talk about family history, stories, and memories.

Carma loved socializing. In her younger years, she belonged to a weekly coffee club with close friends that was held in each other’s living rooms. Later in life, she developed a love of social media and socializing online with friends and family. She had a knack for finding hilarious and inventive emojis that she sent to the kids every day. She loved pumpkin spice bars and cinnamon lattes from Natural Grind in Grundy Center. Carma always dressed tastefully, from her hair and makeup to her outfits, shoes, and jewelry- she was always put together perfectly. She looked forward to getting her hair styled by her friend, Joyce, in Reinbeck each week. Carma was a fiercely independent woman; however, she drew the line at pumping her own gasoline.

Carma is survived by her children Rick (Tammy) Venenga and Robin (Brit) Venenga; stepdaughter Lisa (Kevin) Campbell; granddaughters Tara Jean Belger and Jamie Leigh Meggison; grandson Josh Hughes; and brother Doug (Michelle) Petersen. She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband Donald.