Carolyn Louise Phipps Dayton, age 93, of Grinnell, passed away on Thursday, September 24, 2026, at her home under the care of UnityPoint Home Hospice.

A funeral service will be held at 12:00 PM on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at Grinnell Christian Church, with burial to follow at Hazelwood Cemetery in Grinnell.

Carolyn's family will greet friends at a visitation held from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM on Monday, October 5, 2026, at Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell.

If desired, memorial contributions may be designated to Grinnell Christian Church. Cards and memorials may be mailed in care of Smith Funeral Home, PO Box 368, Grinnell, IA 50112.

Carolyn Louise Badger was born on September 23, 1933, in Tama, Iowa, to Estel Cleo "Bill" and Mary Helen (Smith) Badger. She was raised in the area and graduated from Deep River High School with the Class of 1951.

On March 1, 1952, Carolyn was united in marriage to Hollis Phipps in Deep River. The couple made their home in Grinnell and were blessed with four children: Steve, Connie, Cindy, and Ron. Hollis passed away on June 19, 1984. Carolyn later married Marvin P. Dayton on May 18, 1985, in Grinnell.

Carolyn worked for the Buildings and Grounds Department at Grinnell College for many years. She was a member of Grinnell Christian Church and the Grinnell Eagles.

Carolyn enjoyed reading, working word puzzles, baking, and a wide variety of crafts. She especially enjoyed crocheting, knitting, sewing, embroidery, and working with canvas. She was also an avid sports fan and enjoyed following basketball and baseball. She faithfully cheered on the Iowa Hawkeyes, Chicago Cubs, and Chicago Bulls.

Above all, Carolyn treasured her family and looked forward to time spent with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She also greatly enjoyed her years living at Brookside South Apartments, where she appreciated the friendships she made and especially looked forward to morning coffee and evening suppers with her friends.

Carolyn is survived by her children, Steve (Judy) Phipps of Soldotna, Alaska, Connie (Larry) Yearian of Grinnell, Cindy (Harvey) Schultz of Sandwich, Illinois, and Ron (Sherri) Phipps of Choctaw, Oklahoma; her grandchildren, Michael (Danielle) Yearian, Melissa Yearian, Levi (Andrea) Phipps, Cody Phipps, Gregory (LaCrecia) Floyd, Charyl (Lex) Johnston, and Vernon Phipps; her great-grandchildren, Mallory Warden, Carly Phipps, and Keaton Phipps; and her siblings, Harold "Dutch" (JoAnn) Badger and Pauline Alexander.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Bill and Mary Badger; her first husband, Hollis Phipps; her second husband, Marvin Dayton; her sisters, Ruth Ellen See and JoAnn Shaw; her grandson, Joey Yearian; and her great-granddaughter, Makenna Warden.