Carole

Carole is a loving, family-centered woman who showed that with faith, determination, and a caring heart, you can build a life that matters. 

Raised on a farm alongside her younger sister, Mary, still remembered as her lifelong best friend,  Carole grew up surrounded by family, faith, and hard work. Those early roots shaped so much of who she is: dependable, caring, and deeply family-centered.

For nearly 64 years, Carole and her husband, Leon, built a beautiful life together grounded in love and devotion. While Leon worked long shifts as a firefighter, Carole became the steady heart of the home, raising their two children with unconditional love and creating a family culture where birthdays were celebrated, holidays brought everyone together, and no one ever doubted they were cared for. Today, that love stretches across generations, including grandchildren and great-grandchildren who continue to bring joy to her life.

Carole is someone who naturally takes care of people. A gifted seamstress, she lovingly taught many girls in 4-H to sew, including her daughter. She enjoys reading, cooking, sewing, time with family, and simple moments shared with friends over coffee and conversation. Later in life, she and Leon enjoyed traveling, playing games with friends, and spending time together over a shared glass of wine.

Faith and community have always been important to Carole. At Bethany Presbyterian Church, she served wherever help was needed as a deacon, Sunday school teacher, Vacation Bible School helper, Bible study participant, organizer of church dinners, and volunteer at the women’s food pantry. Friends and family describe her as organized, dependable, and someone people naturally turned to when something needed done.

And while Carole is wonderfully dependable, she is also remembered for the joy and humor she carries through life. Her family still smiles when telling the story of young Carole and her sister sneaking out to lick the cows’ salt block in the pasture, carefully choosing the “clean spot,” completely unaware the cows had already been there first.

Today, simple moments continue to matter most: time with loved ones, visits, holding hands, sweet treats, and meaningful connection. Independent by nature and strong in spirit, Carole has always been someone who puts her mind to something and finds a way forward.

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