Carol Ann Jarrell

November 16, 1943 – January 24, 2017

Carol “Kit” Ann Wheeler Jarrell peacefully passed away at her home in Portland, Oregon on Tuesday, January 24, 2017.

Born November 16, 1943 in St. Ignatius, Montana, Carol was a daughter of the late Joseph Wheeler and Margaret Ashley Wheeler. She grew up in a small cabin in the mountains of Montana surrounded by several siblings and lots of love. As a young girl, she loved playing with her siblings and helping her younger sisters with reading and math. As an adult, she was proud of the fact she really did walk 3 miles each way to catch the school bus. She graduated from St. Ignatius High School in 1962.

Carol had a tender and caring heart, making her well suited for a career as a registered nurse. She attended St. Patrick’s School of Nursing in Missoula, Montana, graduating in the class of 1966. She dedicated her life to helping others, working in hospitals and clinics in Missoula, MT; Helena, MT; and Twin Falls, ID. She retired from nursing in 2010, at which time, she moved to Portland to be closer to her daughters and their families.

She married shortly after graduating from nursing school. As a supportive wife, Carol moved with her husband, Dale Jarrell, to various locations in the Northwest where he was employed by the Forest Service. They were divorced in 1988.

Her love for others was demonstrated daily through random acts of kindness, whether it was making sure everyone felt special on their birthday, helping those in need, or sharing words of encouragement. She had a following for her positive daily Facebook posts, complete with a picture collage and inspirational words. She considered herself Grandma to the children of her many friends and family and was overjoyed at becoming a grandma when Joseph was born. Carol was an avid music lover and likely the biggest Celtic Thunder fan ever known to man – a Thunderhead to the core! She loved to travel, particularly if it involved visiting historical locations and buildings. She was also an enthusiastic collector and dreamed of opening an antique and curio shop.

Survivors include her cherished grandson Joseph, her daughters Terrie Jarrell and Dawn Jacobs, and her sisters Jacqueline McRae, Dorothy Clinkenbeard, Loretta Gariepy, and Margaret Bowman. She is preceded in death by her parents, brothers Jim Wheeler, Joseph Wheeler, Robert Wheeler, Thomas Wheeler, and Michael Wheeler, and her sister Betty Pierce.

A gathering of friends and family to celebrate Carol’s amazing life will be held on Friday, February 3, 2017, 2:00 p.m. at The Gateway Little Chapel of the Chimes, 1515 NE 106th Ave, Portland OR, 97220. Donations may be made to the Portland Rotary Charitable Trust:1220 SW Morrison St. Ste. 425, Portland, OR 97205 or www.rotarypdx.org. In accordance with her wishes, her ashes will be returned to her beloved home in Montana.