Carla Anne Tolson

Carla Anna Tolson, 70, of Des Moines, IA, passed away Monday, January 13, 2025 at the Bishop Drumm Retirement Center in Johnston, IA. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Thursday, January 23, 2024, at the Greater Love Church of God in Christ, located in Des Moines, IA. Visitation will begin at 10:00 A.M., preceding the service. Interment will follow at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery, where full military honors will be presented by the Army Honor Guard. Online condolences may be shared at www.caldwellparrish.com. 

Carla Anne Tolson, affectionately known as “Poochie,” departed this life on Sunday, January 13, 2025, in Des Moines, Iowa. Born on March 14, 1954, to Jacqualine “Jackie” Williams and Cecil Thomas, Carla grew up in Des Moines and cherished her roots in the historic African American Center Street neighborhood. A 1972 graduate of Technical High School, Carla dedicated her life to service and education. She enlisted in the Iowa Army National Guard, proudly retiring after 20 years. During her service, she earned an Associate of Science degree from Des Moines Area Community College in 1993, dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in Psychology and Criminology in 1997, and a Master of Social Work from the University of Iowa in 2012. She also received numerous certificates and awards for her volunteer work with youth. 

Carla’s love for children led her to open her own in-home daycare, Carla’s Day Care in Christ, where she shared her deep faith and taught young ones about God’s love. She also fostered several children, ensuring they were embraced by her church community and nurtured in their spiritual journey. 

In 2008, Carla was deployed to Kuwait as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, earning multiple awards and medals for her exceptional service. Her professional career spanned administrative roles with the Iowa Army National Guard, the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women, and various juvenile and youth detention centers, including Broadlawns Youth Detention Center. Following her retirement in 2009, Carla continued her mission of helping others by working as a consumer service counselor at Wellserve Health, enhancing lives across her community. 

A talented cook, Carla poured her heart into her food, launching Mother Dear’s Place at the Des Moines Downtown Farmers’ Market. She was known for her soulful dishes, including fried catfish, cornbread, collard greens, sweet potato pie, and peach cobbler. Carla’s unwavering faith was central to her life. Baptized at Open Bible Church in the Sherman Hill neighborhood, she served her church in many ways, including as a greeter, teacher, and youth mentor. Her deep connection to family was evident in the time she cherished with her loved ones, especially her mother, sister, and her daughter, Nicole—her best friend and confidante. Carla leaves behind a legacy of love, faith, and service, cherished by her daughter, Nicole (Christ) Nevels; her sister, Cara (Tracy) Harris; her grandson, Christ K. Nevels; nieces and nephews Aries Harris, Carla Harris, Shanelle (Brandon) Burke, Braylon Burke, and Traunna (Jordan) Harris; godchildren Ashley McQuerry and Billy “Bud” Jewett; and a host of cousins and dear friends.

 She was preceded in death by her parents, Cecil Thomas and Jacqualine Williams; grandparents Art Tolson and Geraldine Conway; granddaughter Mikel Brown; uncle James Tolson; and aunts Betty Murray and Anna Belle Tolson. 

Carla leaves behind a lasting legacy of love, service to others, and a powerful example of living a life dedicated to faith in Jesus Christ. She encouraged everyone she encountered to make Christ their personal Savior and lived by the teachings of 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, a scripture that beautifully encapsulates her values.