of St. Joe, AR
May 12, 2018
Carol Lynn Thomas, age 80 of St. Joe, Arkansas passed away peacefully on Saturday, May 12th, 2018 in Iowa City, Iowa. She was born in St. Joe, Arkansas on December 18th, 1937 to Leonard Keeling and Jennie Stephenson Keeling. Carol was the youngest of five children, Amberline LeCompte, Lucile Horton, Joe Keeling and Jack Keeling.
Carol graduated from St. Joe High School in 1955. She met her husband Ronald while still in school and they married in 1957. They moved to Fayetteville where Carol attended and graduated from the University of Arkansas with a BS in Home Economics. During this time Ronald joined the US Air Force. Carol took her first teaching job in North Little Rock while Ronald served his country. Carol continued her teaching career for several years teaching in Leslie, Lincoln and St. Joe. Carol and Ronald had two children, Ron and Mae Lynn. In 1970 they moved their family to Iron Mountain, Michigan where they lived for the next 10 years. In 1980 Ronald and Carol moved to Germany where they lived and worked for 5 years. Upon returning to Iron Mountain, Carol began work as a case manager at the North Point Behavioral Health Systems. She was very dedicated to the work of caring for the clients of North Point. Carol retired in 2005 and along with Ronald moved back to St. Joe. Carol continued to help and work in the education field at Marshall High School for a few years. Carol's many relatives and friends will miss her kindness, strength and generosity. Her warm, loving spirit is an enduring comfort and inspiration.
Survivors include her husband, Ronald Thomas of St. Joe; daughter, Mae Lynn Thomas and wife Antoinette Golding of Muscatine, IA; son, Ron Thomas and wife Laura of Ann Arbor, MI; and sister, Lucile Horton of Marshall. Carol was a loving and generous grandmother to her four grandchildren, Aaron Golding and wife Ashley of Chicago, IL, Megan Pashnik and husband Erik of Grand Rapids, MI, Nathaniel Thomas and wife Prianna of Monterey, CA and Bennett Thomas of Ann Arbor, MI. Carol was especially proud of and loved deeply her two great-grandchildren, Rocky-Lee Golding of Chicago, IL and Anne Pashnik of Grand Rapids, MI. She was a caring sister-in-law to Gloria Fontecchio of Columbia, MO and Danny Thomas and wife Sherri of Harrison.
Carol is preceded in death by her parents; her brothers, Joe Keeling and Jack Keeling; and her sister, Amberline LeCompte.
Funeral services for Carol will be 2:00 PM Sunday, May 20th, 2018 at Roller-Coffman Funeral Home in Marshall, Arkansas with Bro. John Eslinger and Bro. Danny Thomas officiating. Visitation will be 1:00 PM preceding the service. Burial will follow in Stone/Keeling Cemetery near the Tomahawk community of St. Joe, Arkansas. Friends and family will serve as pallbearers.
Sign Guestbook
10 Condolence(s)
KB
Saturday, May 26, 2018
My thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time. I will forever have sweet memories of this precious lady who was so kind each time I saw her. She will be missed by many.
Sandy Fontecchio
Monday, May 21, 2018
Ronald and Family. The Fontecchio family are deeply saddened by the passing of Carol. She was such a bright shining light in our life and even though she moved away, she was always in our heart. I will always consider Carol my aunt (by marriage) and a friend. I will miss her southern voice! I will miss you Carol!
Love Sandy
DW
Sunday, May 20, 2018
So sorry for your loss. May you find comfort in the words spoken at Revelation 21:3,4 “With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his people. And God himself will be with them.
And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away".
Dale Thomas and Family
Sunday, May 20, 2018
Our thoughts and prayers are with you. I have had a heavy heart since I heard that Aunt Carol had passed. I am glad to have had the opportunity as an adult to get to speak with her and spend the small amount of time together that we could. You have our deepest condolences.
Tricia Hilligoss
Saturday, May 19, 2018
Carol was such a delightful person. She always lit up the room wherever she was. My prayers for all of the family.
Alice (nee Ouimette) Reed
Saturday, May 19, 2018
It is with a heavy heart that I write this message, after just having viewed Carol's obituary in the local Iron Mountain news paper. First, I offer my sympathy and prayers for all of Carol's family and friends, but especial to Ron, Mae Lynn, Antoinette, Ron Jr. and Laura. Carol was truly the most gracious, kind, caring, and wise woman, I have ever known. She charmed everyone with her southern drawl and always had compliments and kind words for everyone. She made you feel special and cherished. Underneath her soft and genteel surface, she surprisingly had an inner strength that was astounding. Her sense of purpose, organization and practical ways were evident as she managed everything that came her way. Many people treasured her wisdom and were grateful for her advice. I feel so fortunate to have had many treasured memories of time spent with Carol and Ron, including camping with them and being invited to dinner for Carol's Chinese meals. May God's grace help all who mourn this beautiful lady. Her love of family and friends will endure forever as you keep her alive in your memories.
Nancy Jones
Tuesday, May 15, 2018
So sorry for your loss. Carol will be missed by all who knew her. My love and prayers go out to her family. May God's presence be with you all during this time.
Phyllis and Larry Garris
Monday, May 14, 2018
What a wonderful kind person and neighbor! Our sympathy to the family -- she will be missed! Keeping you in our prayers , remembering her always!
Pastor John & Karen Eslinger
Monday, May 14, 2018
Our prayers for the Lord’s comfort are with you.
Zion’s Light Baptist Church
Claudia Goodman Hastings
Sunday, May 13, 2018
What a wonderful lady!! I know she will be missed. Sympathy for all her family.