Memorial
Jacqueline C. “Topsy” Aschoff, 88, died peacefully on February 14, 2015 after a tenacious struggle with chronic lung disease.
A memorial visitation will be held from 4 to 6 pm on February 18th at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home. A celebration of life service will be held at 5:30 p.m. on February 19th at the Doubletree Hotel.
Topsy was born in Kansas City on February 17, 1926 and raised in Cedar Rapids, Iowa by her mother, Gladys Bohac Carberry, her aunt, Elizabeth Bohac, and her grandmother, Anna Bohac.
She married Carl R. (Curly) Aschoff on June 6, 1948, the day after she graduated from the University of Iowa. After Carl completed medical school in Nebraska they returned to Cedar Rapids in 1952 and spent 62 wonderful years together. They made many happy memories with years of cooking, eating, drinking, fishing, mushroom hunting, reading, card playing, and vacationing with family and friends. They lived life to the fullest, and she said her imminent death was her “last great adventure”.
Topsy studied early childhood development at Iowa and served the children of Cedar Rapids as a volunteer for many years. She taught at the Jane Boyd Community Center preschool program and the Volunteer Preschool Program, a precursor of the Head Start program. She served on the board that created the Linn County Daycare for Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Preschoolers and the Foster Care Review Board. She performed in Children’s Theatre, a tall actress with short hair and a wonderfully hooked nose that allowed her to play a king, a soldier, an evil queen and a witch. She thought those roles were lots more fun than playing the princess.
Topsy’s appreciation for diversity was expressed in part by helping immigrants and refugees learn English. In conjunction with Kirkwood Community College, she participated in the creation of the Volunteer English as a Second Language Program, and she served as a volunteer tutor at the Catherine McAuley Center. As a member of the League of Women Voters, she got a particular thrill out of handing out voter forms at the new citizen Naturalization Ceremonies.
Her love of the outdoors, and organic gardening in particular, was legendary. She volunteered for the Iowa Extension Service as a Master Gardener, supported the Indian Creek Nature Center and for a time was an unlikely but delighted member of the Cedar Rapids Garden Club. She loved to be up to her elbows in black Iowa soil.
She was preceded in death by her husband Carl, her son Peter, daughter-in-law Patricia, and a brother who died in infancy. Left to love and honor her memory, and miss her terribly is her son, Michael Aschoff (Ann); daughter, Jo Dixon (David); daughter, Gretchen Aschoff; and five grandchildren, Dorian Dixon, Jacob Dixon, Edward Aschoff, Zach Aschoff and Kate Aschoff.
The family would like to thank Dr. Cowden, Dr. Langager, Dr. Nelson, Dr. Payvandi, and all their nurses and office staff for the time you gave us with two people who would have died a lot sooner without your top notch care.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the UnityPoint Health Cedar Rapids Palliative Care and Hospice Programs, whom the family would like to thank for their guidance and support under the leadership of the wonderful Dr. Bell as Topsy transitioned through the final stages of her amazing journey.