Carol Ann Bacile

Carol was born in Detroit to the late Alexander and Genevieve (Mlostek) Farino, the oldest of five children. She attended St. Sebastian Catholic School in Dearborn Heights and graduated from Edsel Ford High School in Dearborn.

Carol attended nursing school at the University of Michigan for three years, but her true passion turned out to be elementary education. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Wayne State University while working at John Hancock Insurance Co. in Dearborn.

Carol taught in Dearborn Public Schools for more than 30 years. She taught at McDonald School, Salina School and Lindbergh School, helping to shape thousands of young lives and making lifelong friendships.

Later in life, she earned her master’s degree in education from the University of Michigan and was halfway to earning a doctorate degree before she was derailed by a cancer diagnosis.

She grew up in Dearborn in a large, tight-knit Polish-Italian family. Carol was the oldest of five children. She spent summers in Indian River with her parents, siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles in the waterfront cabin that her father built on Burt Lake.

Carol met Joe Bacile, the love of her life, in 1968. They were married on April 7, 1972, on a snowy Michigan day. They had two children, Todd and Cathy, and built a beautiful life full of family, love and travels during the 53 years they were married. Together, they road-tripped across many states and traveled to Italy, France, Greece and Scandinavia. They were avid boaters and spent 30 years exploring Michigan’s waterways with their boat Sh-Boom Sh-Boom. Joe and Carol were members of the Great Lakes Steel Boat Club, serving as commodore and Lady Carol.

Carol had the kindest, gentlest soul, and she was tough as nails. She was a two-time breast cancer survivor and beat a bout of skin cancer. Dementia stole Carol from her loved ones a little bit at a time over the course of a nearly a decade. As her disease progressed, she did not always know who her closest loved ones were, but she always looked at them with love because that’s what she was to her core — love, light and kindness. She will forever be loved and missed.

Carol is survived by her loving and devoted husband, Joseph; her son, Todd (Jennifer); her daughter Cathy (Peter) Bacile Cunningham; her cherished grandchildren John, Joey, Owen, Harper and Seth; her sister Joette Hayes; and many loving nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her beloved sisters Christine Farino, Gina (Michael) Waddell and brother Alexander “Randy” Farino.

Visitation will be held Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025, from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes East Chapel, 1730 E Grand River Ave., East Lansing. The Rosary will be prayed at 6:00 p.m. A Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, preceded by a one-hour prior visitation from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., at St. Martha Parish, 1100 W. Grand River Ave., Okemos. Carol will then be laid to rest in Leek Cemetery, 3051 Dobie Road, Mason. Following the burial, family and friends are invited to a luncheon at the University Club, 3435 Forest Road, Lansing.

Donations in Carol’s name can be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.