Carol Anne Sawyer

Carol Anne (Beringer) Sawyer was born Oct 11 1942 in Chicago Illinois to Louise (Lonabaugh) Beringer and John Paul Beringer (both preceded in death). Carol was also preceded in death by her loving husband James Sawyer (2017) married Dec 31, 1981. She is survived by sister Jeanette (Beringer) Krodel, children Deanna Dahl Grove (James) and Micheal Dahl (Kim) grandchildren Clay Grove (Myah), Anne Grove, Grace Grove, Zachary Michael Dahl (Alisha), Cassandra Zsolnai (Adam), Victoria Dahl, Joshua Dahl and 5 great grandchildren.

Carol loved her family and took pride in their lives. She graduated from University of Wisconsin Madison in 1979 with a PhD in Food Service Management. She became a professor at Michigan State University and passionately taught in the Food Service department until her retirement in 2004. East Lansing was truly her home and Carol will always be part of the Spartan Family. Her retirement was enjoyed in rural Mason living among the abundance of central Michigan nature. As an academic, Carol was a sponge for knowledge and loved to read. Her final years following the passing of her husband James were spent in communities she adored at Great Lakes Christian Home and Burcham Hills. She loved to meet people and was always curious about their stories. Carol loved to celebrate and host parties for friends and family. The sharing of music, conversation and amazing cooking are among some of the strongest memories she leaves behind. She lived a courageous and brave life filled with love for family and friends. Her grandchildren fondly remember adventurous nature walks and long stories, where she would share with them her love of nature, animals, and the world in which they lived. Carol never lost her sense of creativity and imagination. There was always a little magic in everything, and she made sure to share that with her grandchildren. Carol had deep faith and was a member of University United Methodist Church in East Lansing. We remember her as we reflect on this bible passage: “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. “ Psalm 118:24 (NRSVUE)

The family will have a private service at a later time. Please take a walk and remember Carol and if you wish to make a donation choose your favorite cause to support access to nature for all.

“If nature has a soul, it feels like it must be bound up in the bark and sap of our forests. There, older, wiser sentinels stand in silent judgment. Not just the ancient sequoias and redwoods—even regular pine and birch trees outlast us. Every tree is a witness tree—they see how we spend our time on earth, what we take and what we give.”

— Conor Knighton

“The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.”

― John Muir