Our Carol Ann

It is hard to believe that it has been more then 6 months

Our Carol Anne

50 years ago a blessing was born. Helen and Harry started their family with Carol always the oldest.


Mom and Dad choose to make Carol an important part of our family even when the doctors encouraged them to “let the experts take care of her.”

Today we are sad because we will miss her. But Carols purpose in life was not small as she taught us all big lessons.

Billy talked about how his Mom always told him that Carol Ann had her seat in heaven, she would not have to do anything because she had her special place with God. Billy , Jay and Susan would have to work for their place. Mom had good reason to reinforce that statement especially for you boys.

Carol was like our child to be loved and cared for, to be cherished and to be protected. When Mom and Dad left us , they knew that we would love Carol cherish and protect her for the short time she was here. We will miss her, perhaps forever.

What I will miss most is the sound of her excited voice when she greeted us. Very much like any little child waiting for their daddy to come home. For Carol Anne that joy and excitement of a child never left her. I know we will hold her joy in our hearts forever. After dad died Carol would ask wheres my daddy. We knew that each time we told her he was in heaven with mom a little part of her would cry. She was their little girl waiting to join them. I know she gave them that same embracing little girl greeting when she saw them. That greeting and childlike enthusiasm was Carol’s gift to all of us.


When Carol was younger she used to write in a journal about that things she thought about. I remember reading one page that said she did not want to be different, she wanted to be like everyone else. She knew that she was different and that made her sad, she just didn’t understand. When Carol was a teen she wanted to drive, mom and dad always told her she was too short. I don’t think she believed them until she finally tested that out. She got the keys to the car and took a drive straight down the hill and into Jeff Marshals yard. I think then she realized she was really too short to drive.

Before mom passed away we had long talks about Carol and about the concerns she had for her. Mom and dad wanted to give her the best life. They wanted her to have friends to have a social life. We talked about her having things in her life that made her happy. For years Dad cared for Carol after mom passed away but it was hard. Carol moved to Elwyn. Carol was loved at Elwyn and she had friends and staff that will miss her and miss her smile and warm greetings. At Elwyn she went to work at the work shop , she developed friends she had social activities, it filled up her life, but she still had her family.

Carol loved being with her family, It was hard for dad to take Carol back to Elwyn after each visit home. He started the routine of stopping at Dairy Queen on her way back to Elwyn even if she already had dessert. I think it softened his pain knowing how she loved her sweets. That stop made them both happy. Susan’s husband Bill bore the brunt of that routine and she gave him the business when Dairy Queen was closed for the winter or more recently when they were closed for almost a year. Bill you where her teddy bear and she loved you.

Carol’s life was simple, a pack of markers and a coloring book. She had small needs but she taught us all big lessens. We all learned compassion, kindness and humility from our Carol Ann. Jay , Billy and Susan you know that your parents are proud of how you cared for your sister and loved her. The time and the effort to include her in your lives and in your children’s lives was a testament to how you were raised, how your parents loved you and how you loved Carol.

Carol’s nieces and nephews Carolyn, Megan, Emma, Zackery and Harrison: Carol thanks you for loving her and for sharing your parents with her. And thanks for letting her take your crayons and coloring books. When we looked through some of her things we discovered that she even borrowed one of Emma’s homework paper. But Carol loved you guys and she loved being your Aunt.

Carol faught hard the last few weeks. Last weekend was especially hard, somehow she just looked different, I whispered in her ear to go see mom and dad if it was too hard for her to fight anymore. If she needed to go she should join them they would help her, they would be waiting for her, she didn’t have to be scared. I told her that we would miss her but that she could go. I told her that she would be like everyone else she would just be mom and dad’s little girl and she would not be different anymore. I quietly sang our table blessing to her and told her how we loved her but she would also be loved in heaven. God will lift you up Carol. Carol waited for BoBo’s birthday to leave us, he was the familys beloved dog.. We will miss her most when we sing our blessing because it was Carol Ann that always started the prayer, even though it was off key.

So Carol take your seat in heaven and help us to be good people and carry your lessons with us so we can join you one day. Help our Children to carry compassion in their hearts and to love people who are different because one day like Carol they will be just like everyone else. Gods children.




The last thing Carol asked us before she went into surgery was “ Can I go home with you?” Well, Carol Anne now you are truly home.