Carol Jean Mauer Strope, 87 died from complications of a metastatic tumor on September 4th 2025 two days before her 88th birthday. Born to Lloyd Edwin Mauer and Minnie Rose Kammerer in Le Mars, Iowa, the youngest of seven sisters and one brother. In elementary through high school she participated in plays and held an interest in music and playing the piano. She humorously referred to herself as "Grace" for wanting in athletic abilities. After graduating from Le Mars High School in 1955, she attended Westmar College in Le Mars for two years. Carol came to Idaho during summer recess from college to stay with her sister Eloise in American Falls where she met and married J Kindall Strope who was living in Pocatello at the time. They were married for 43 years until Kindalls death in 2001. They lived in Pocatello, San Francisco, Idaho Falls, Moscow, Howe, and moved to Boise in 1966 where they resided for the rest of their lives.

In Idaho, Carol held a number of jobs including work at Indian Springs Natatorium in American Falls and at KYTE radio station in Pocatello with the title of Traffic Manager having her own program called the Stork Club. While Kindall was attending school at the University of Idaho in Moscow, Carol worked at Gritman Memorial Hospital as a nurses aide. After moving to Boise and with some encouragement from Kindall, Carol enrolled at Boise State College completing her degree in english and communication. She soon followed up by obtaining a teaching certificate. She taught speech and reading in the Boise schools and later after earning a library endorsement, became head librarian at Fairmont Jr High, retiring in 2003.Throughout her teaching career she encouraged her students to be life long learners while helping them discover their interests and talents. She also highly valued the many friendships with teachers and associates long after retirement and thought of them as extended family.

For many years both Carol and Kindall were members of the Idaho Cat Fanciers Association and raised Persian cats taking them to shows throughout the northwest. She was also a member of the Idaho Education Association. Books and reading were major parts of Carol’s life. She often took notes on the books she read, sometimes reading two at time, and in retirement she volunteered with the Boise Public Libraries repairing books to be kept in circulation. Gardening and sewing were also favorite interests. She became a certified Master Gardener through county extension coursework and grew daylilies for their spectacular blooms, and never showing signs of discouragement even when sharing the flowers with the local deer. She also loved to sew and often made utilitarian items from fabric to be given as gifts.

Above all else family and friends were the most important in Carol’s life. She loved writing and sending cards, never missing a birthday or special occasion, and she had a keen interest in family history often sharing knowledge and insights with nieces and nephews. If you knew Carol you would find her as thoughtful, caring, a good listener, true to herself, and forward thinking. In the words of a talented nephew, "Aunt Carol was a gem."

Carol was preceded in death by her parents, six sisters, Mildred Louise Mauer, who died as an infant in 1909 in LeMars, Iowa, Eloise Margaret Mauer Meadows, Jane Elizabeth Mauer, Helen Delia Mauer Saeinga, Dorothy Mae Mauer Tammes, and Ruth Barbara Mauer Schultz; a brother, Robert Beely Mauer; and infant daughter, Christina Jane Strope who died in 1959 in Pocatello, Idaho. Survivors are two sons Andre Kindall Strope, and Jason Kindall Strope (Kristen), nieces, nephews, and a cousin.

In honor of Carol, it is suggested making a donation and/or volunteering at your local public library.

Contingency plans for a celebration of life to be held in 2026.

“If there ever comes a day when we can’t be together, keep me in your heart. I’ll stay there forever.”A.A. Milne

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”A.A. Milne“

I woke to find September at my door. A meadowlark was singing endlessly, just as he had for manyyears before. He filled my heart with burning ecstasy. His song was not the mating song of spring. Hehad a softer, more contented note. He spoke to me of every finished thing. Yet joy of life had billowedfrom his throat.”Agnes Just Reid