Carola E. Marking, age 81, of Brookings, died Sunday, March 18, 2012, at Brookview Manor. Funeral services will be 11:00 A.M. Thursday, March 22, 2012, at Ascension Lutheran Church in Brookings, with interment in Greenwood Cemetery. Visitations will be from 5-8 P.M. Wednesday at Eidsness Funeral Home in Brookings. Carola Emilie (Koehn) Marking was born August 8, 1930, on a farm in Douglas County, South Dakota, to Herb and Helma Koehn. Her early childhood years were spent on her parents farm. She attended a one-room country school for eight years. She was baptized and confirmed at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Douglas County. Her class was the last class to be confirmed in the German language. She attended Parkston High School for a year, and graduated from Mitchell High School in 1948. While in Parkston, she and Jim Marking became friends. Following her graduation she attended SDSU and there she and Jim renewed their friendship. Carola graduated from SDSU in 1952 with a double major in consumer science education and clothing and textiles. She participated in many organizations in school and college. She was chosen to be the 1951 Jr.-Sr. Prom Queen and the 1952 Jackrabbit Queen. Jim and Carola were married August 22, 1952. Both Jim and Carola were employed in Hayti. Jim was coaching and teaching at the high school and Carola was the Hamlin county Home Extension Agent. In 1955 they moved to Watertown where Jim coached and taught. Carola was a busy homemaker raising her family, but would also substitute teach various classes at the high school. The Marking family moved to Brookings in 1960. Carola continued to judge clothing and the South Dakota State Fair for several years. Her passion was being a full-time homemaker and coach's wife. She tried her very best to do well in both areas. She received much joy and happiness and thought of it as her calling. Carola was a member of Ascension Lutheran Church, the WELCA; Chapter BA, P.E.O.; extension club; and several bridge clubs. She enjoyed spending time with her husband, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. They and her many friends were dear to her heart. She enjoyed reading, traveling, bird watching and bird photography, and helping when needed. Survivors include her husband, James Marking, of Brookings; five children: Nancy Johnson of Sioux Falls, Tom (Cindy) Marking of Porterfield, Wisconsin, Dan (Susan) Marking of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, Robert Marking of Brookings, and Pam (Marv) Rathlisberger of Crystal, Minnesota; eight grandchildren: Holly Johnson, Jaimie (Matt) Bleeker, Lindsay (Jessie) Graef, Leanna and Katy Marking, and Matt, Andy, and Jenna Rathlisberger; and four great-grandchildren: Hailey, Ashlyn, and Emilie Bleeker, and Autumn Graef. She was preceded in death by her parents, sister and brother.