Carol Jean Thesier

Carol was born on September 24, 1931, to Ivan & Isabella Hemings. She was the oldest of two children, with her brother William arriving two years later. Carol graduated at the top of her class at Carthage High School, where she was a majorette and played basketball.

She married Thomas Leo Thesier on November 25, 1950, in their hometown of Carthage, NY. The family welcomed four of their six children there before moving to Adrian, MI, in 1956, for Thomas' job with International Harvester.

In 1965, the family moved to their long-term home in Brighton, MI, and opened up their own John Deere dealership, Thesier Equipment Company, in nearby South Lyon. Carol became a mainstay in helping Tom run the business, working in the office for more than 30 years until she retired in 1998.

The business was a true family endeavor, and all of the children (and many grandchildren) were an integral part of the success of the business, and a lot of time was spent together at their home away from home on Pontiac Trail. In addition to being dedicated to the family business, Carol loved hosting big family gatherings, and the family loved getting together at the house on Kenicott Trail for holidays, dinners, and summer days spent by the pool. She was also a longtime member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Brighton.

Tom & Carol retired to Fort Myers, FL, in 1998, where they became members of the Blessed Pope John XXIII Church. Carol was devoted to her family and loved hearing all of the stories from her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Carol was the beloved mother of William (Patt), Susan McKnight (Larry), James (Mary), Robert (Randi), and Rebecca Sellers. She was the proud grandmother of 13 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her loving husband of more than 55 years, Thomas (1929-2007), and her eldest son, Thomas Jr. (1951-2024), who is survived by his wife Judy.