She was born July 24, 1943 in Hastings, Nebraska, to Edward Traut and Helen Pedersen Traut. She grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, and graduated from Omaha North High School.
Carol was an outstanding student with varied interests. As an undergraduate she focused on music and literature and languages. She completed her bachelor’s degree in French at Wayne State College of Nebraska. After completing her degree, she took part in an intense program in French at the University of Montreal. She then worked as a French teacher in Pennsylvania. After moving to Philadelphia, Carol completed a master’s degree in library science at Drexel University. She worked as a librarian at Temple University in Philadelphia and later at West Virginia University. Carol next decided to pursue graduate study in political science and public administration. She earned a master’s degree from Kansas State University and, in 1988, a PhD from Florida State University. While at Florida State, she met her future husband, Craig Emmert, a fellow student in the political science doctoral program.
After completing her PhD, Carol taught political science at her alma mater, Wayne State College, and at the University of South Dakota. In 2001, Carol moved to Odessa to establish a leadership studies program at the University of Texas – Permian Basin. She taught leadership studies, political science, and public administration courses at UTPB. She also published a number scholarly articles throughout her academic career.
Carol loved new adventures. She traveled widely in the United States and to other countries including Canada, France, China, and India. She particularly enjoyed big cities such as Philadelphia, Chicago, Montreal, and especially Paris. Even with her love of travel, Carol always stayed true to her Nebraskan roots. She was a real fan of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, attending many football games with Craig.
Carol was a member of Connection Christian Church. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, James Traut. She is survived by Craig Emmert, her husband of more than thirty years, their beloved chihuahua Perla, and many wonderful friends.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to your favorite charity.
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