Margaret Carlin (1927-2021)

CARLIN, BRITT, EHLERT, DAMOS

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 1/22/2021 at 19:29:22

February 24, 1927 - January 14, 2021

The last of the Carlin orphans reared at the St. Vincent's Home in Davenport in the 1930s, Margaret, has passed from this mortal coil to a new eternal address to join Mary Ellen, Vincent, Jimmy, Alice and Raymond.

"Maggie", who was 93, passed suddenly Thursday (Jan. 14) just days after receiving notice her long-time apartment building near Our Lady of Victory Church was facing renovations and she would have to move. She will join her siblings in the Great Beyond.

The Carlin Clan, who had lost their mother to tuberculosis and their father to despair and alcoholism, had been uprooted from their DeWitt farm and transplanted to St. Vincent's Orphanage, which in those days resembled a sprawling preserve over 65 acres - a sanctuary to dozens of children "to provide relief and care . . .temporarily or permanently made homeless or friendless."

Out of such humble beginnings, Baby Sister Margaret, who was barely 4'10" tall, graduated from Mercy Hospital Nurses Training in 1948, and received a BS in Nursing from St. Ambrose College in 1962. She became one of the most revered and trusted surgical nurses at Mercy Hospital, specializing in post-anesthetic care. She also worked 8 years as a school nurse for the Davenport School system; however, her career highlight was there at Mercy, just a stone's throw from St. Vincent's.

A Notre Dame fan, life-long golfer and lover of card games, she was imbued with conservative political leanings that she never pushed on anyone who believed differently.

She passed a year to the day her older sister, Mary Ellen was buried. Her large and loving family was there with her on a bitterly cold and windy January day in 2020 at the internment - realizing that the tiny, Baby Sister was still surrounded by the protection that only deep and abiding love can produce in a family.

Her undaunted and cheerful manner is the gift she leaves behind for all to assume and emulate.

Margaret was preceded in death by mother Mary Agnes (Britt) Carlin, father Charles Carlin and siblings Mary Ellen Ehlert, Vincent Carlin, Alice Damos, James Carlin and Raymond Carlin. She is survived by 12 nieces and nephews (James Ehlert, Suzie Murphy, Robert Ehlert, Vincent Ehlert, Kathleen Parr, Patricia Forrest, Mary Jeffers, Chris Damos, Craig Damos, Peggy Foote, Greg Carlin and Steve Carlin), over 30 great nieces and nephews and many great great nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, January 25, 2020 at 10:30am in the Halligan-McCabe-DeVries Funeral Home Chapel. Visitation will be held Monday from 10:00-10:30 a.m. prior to the service at the funeral home. The service will be livestreamed and can be viewed by visiting her obituary. Due to the current health crisis, masks must be worn and social distancing respected. Burial will be at Mt Calvary Cemetery. A celebration of life will be held at a later date when Covid19 virus is over. Online condolences may be expressed at www.hmdfuneralhome.com.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to the Humility of Mary Center, St. Anthony Care and Share Program or Our Lady of Victory Parish.