Carol Anne Burger (nee Buchanan), 79, of Mount Juliet, Tennessee, passed away after an extended illness on July 17, 2024. She was born on November 19, 1944 in Morristown, New Jersey to parents, Donald F. and Doris M. Buchanan.
Carol attended West Morris Regional High School and graduated with the class of 1963, where she was crowned Homecoming Queen. She later attended Dover Business College and Morris County Vocational Technical School for Commercial Art, where she earned her Associate’s Degree in Commercial Art.
Carol was a talented artist and photographer who received a number of awards for her drawings and paintings, several of which are featured in the photographs in the video tribute. Her hand-drawn and painted greeting cards were highly anticipated by friends and family, and treasured by all. Even when arthritis made the tiny detail work difficult, Carol continued to create these cards, beginning work on Christmas cards in August each year.
Carol was a gifted writer and published in several local papers for her op-eds on political issues. She was a former columnist for the Lebanon Democrat. Additionally, she published a short story entitled “The Neen People”, a tale penned for her daughter, which celebrates the many differences between us that make each of us unique and special. In addition to her art and writing, Carol was an avid gardener. She and her beloved husband, “Frankie”, created a virtual oasis of colorful blooms in their Mount Juliet backyard, which was a designated wildlife habitat. She worked for many years as a preschool teacher and taught Sunday school, as well.
Always passionate about mental health, Carol worked as a volunteer at a Crisis Intervention Center, assisting people with mental and substance abuse crises. She was an active member of The Sierra Club and the National Wildlife Federation, Southern Poverty Law Center, and Habitat for Humanity.
Carol is preceded in death by her parents, Donald F. Buchanan, Sr. and Doris M. Buchanan; her beloved husband, Frank P. “Papa Sprite” Burger; her brother, George W. Buchanan; and her grandson, Corey J. A. Roberts. She is survived by her brother, Donald Frank Buchanan, Jr.; her son, Brian A. Smith; her daughter and son-in-law, Doneen and Stuart Mills; granddaughter, Chelsea N. Rierson; grandson, Jordan G. Mills; grandson, Dustin Garcia; and granddaughter, Shelbie N. Mills. She is also survived by many beloved nieces, nephews, and extended family.
There will be a Gathering of Family & Friends on Friday, August 2, at Hermitage Funeral Home from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM. This time of visitation will be followed by a Memorial Celebration of Life at 12:00 PM in the Tulip Grove Room at the funeral home. Inurnment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Carol's memory may be made to Southern Poverty Law Center, https://www.splcenter.org/. Fond memories, photos, and expressions of sympathy may be shared with the Burger family at www.HermitageFH.com.
