Services Sunday for Iowa 80’s Carolyn Moon

Carolyn Moon

Carolyn Moon, who along with her husband Bill, co-founded Iowa 80 Truckstop, in Walcott Iowa, died Thursday, May 4.

Services for Mrs. Moon are at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 7, at the Calvary United Methodist Church in Walcott, Iowa. Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 6 at the Runge Mortuary.

Calvary United Methodist Church: 100 James Street, Walcott, Iowa, 52773. Runge Mortuary: 838 East Kimberly Road, Davenport, Iowa, 52807

“The entire NATSO family is saddened to hear of Carolyn’s passing. She was one of the first NATSO members I met when I joined the staff, and her easygoing warmth and kindness made me feel like we had known each other for years,” said Lisa Mullings, president and CEO of NATSO. “She had many professional accomplishments as a missile scientist who broke a glass ceiling and, of course, as a leader in the truckstop and travel plaza industry. However, I will always admire how she achieved her success—with strength and optimism–and how she welcomed success–with humility.”The president and CEO of the National Association of Truckstop Operators said in an email notice to members:

Carolyn Moon (center) and her family at 50th anniversary of Iowa 80 Truckstop. (Photo from Iowa 80 Truckstop)

Carolyn and her husband Bill leased the Iowa 80 Truckstop in Walcott, Iowa, from Standard Oil in 1965. In 1984, Carolyn and Bill purchased the truck stop and built it into what it billed as the largest truck stop in the world. It is home to the annual Walcott Truckers Jamboree each summer.

The Moons also founded Truckomatic truck washes, a truck wash chain located throughout the Midwest. The couple in 1977 introduced the first totally automated, full length platform scale, known as CAT Scale, that allowed truck drivers to quickly and accurately weigh their entire truck and trailer unit simultaneously.

In 2002, Carolyn was awarded NATSO’s Distinguished Member Award.

The Iowa 80 Truckstop is part of the Iowa 80 Group that also owns Joplin 44 Petro, Joplin, Missouri; Oak Grove 70 Petro, Oak Grove, Missouri; Kenly 95 Petro, Kenly, North Carolina; Effingham Chrome Shop, Effingham, Illinois; Truckomats in: N. Little Rock, Arkansas; Indianapolis, Indiana; Walcott, Iowa; Joplin, Missouri, Oak Grove, Missouri; Kenly, North Carolina; Hebron, Ohio; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; CAT Scale Company, the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum and the IOWA80.COM mail-order trucking accessories catalog and e-commerce website.