Carol Ann Coles Tonn

Carol Ann Coles was born on July 21,1946 in Jennings, Louisiana. She grew up in Welsh, Louisiana, first on the farm, enjoying the outdoors with her older sister, Mary Lee, and then became a “city” girl, when her family built a house in town. She was a cheerleader, the Homecoming Queen, and graduated from Welsh High school in 1964. Despite growing up in 2 very small towns just 10 miles apart, Carol met Dick, her loving husband of 47 years, on a UN High School Tour to New York City. Dick knew immediately that she was the one and won her over on the trip with fun and laughter, which became the cornerstone of her life. She loved sharing the love of life with everyone she knew. She married her high school sweetheart on July 1, 1967 in Welsh, attended the University of Southwestern Louisiana with Dick, and later finished vocational school in Lafayette, where they established their first home together on Memory Lane. They soon welcomed two daughters, and after moving several times over the years for Dick's work, they built their custom dream home on a hill in Austin, Texas in 1982 and lovingly named it “Sunny Slope Cottage”, where they resided for 32 years.

Carol had a gift and love for interior design. She was able to effortlessly create surroundings that made you feel like you stepped into a design book or magazine. She shared her talents by creating a beautiful home for her family and assisting others in creating spaces that were both stylish and comfortable. “Surround yourself with things you love” she would say. A big part of what she loved and surrounded herself with was family. She loved to travel and spend time with her family, laughing and enjoying both the simple pleasures of life and the elegant sides of life, whether it was rocking on the front porch and eating popcorn with friends and neighbors or traveling the Caribbean with her crew, eating lobster. Every sunset and every moon rise was an occasion to celebrate. Carol and her sweetheart spent many good years boating, traveling, barbecuing and enjoying the people and blessings around them, especially their grandsons, Coleton and Reece. Although she lost the love of her life in 2014, she was blessed to live with her grandsons that kept their “O'Mom” busy, smiling, and laughing. Carol was happiest when all of her family was around laughing and enjoying the greatest gifts GOD could bestow on anyone - family and friends to love - and those who knew Carol felt her welcoming love and her joy for life.

Carol Coles Tonn died peacefully in her home on July 18, 2017 in Pflugerville, Texas at the age of 70. She will be buried on Saturday July 22, 2017 in her hometown of Welsh, Louisiana, next to her high school sweetheart. Carol is survived by her daughters and spouses, Shelly and Robert Wilcox of Pflugerville, Texas, and Roxanne (Vicky) and Neil Mijares of Seabrook, Texas; her sister Mary Lee Coles of Welsh, Louisiana; her brother-in-law, Al Herring, Colonel USAF Retired, of Charlotte, North Carolina; her nieces and their families Lynn and Wayne Northrop of Raymond, California, Dee Smith of Charlotte, North Carolina, Kim and Shane Boudreaux of Lafayette, Louisiana; and her grandsons, Coleton and Reece Wilcox. She is preceded in death by her husband, Richard Victor Tonn Jr. (“Dick Tonn”) and her parents, Mattie Lou Caldwell Coles and Dennis Walton Coles.

Since Carol was about helping and loving others, please consider a donation to PANDAS Physicians Network’s Mission (www.pandasppn.org), or a donation to a cause that is close to your heart, in lieu the of flowers. Condolences may be left for the family at www.cookwaldenfuneralhome.com