Carole Jeanne Womack Stanfill

Carole Jeanne Womack Stanfill, 78, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Saturday, February 8, 2014, at home. Whether as daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, teacher or friend, she filled all of her roles in life with her own special type of love, quiet dignity and empathy for the feelings of others.

Carole was born to Gerald (Jed) and Frohna Womack on August 30, 1935, in Cape Girardeau, Mo. She was raised in Oran, Mo., where her parents had the only pharmacy around for miles. Carole often remarked at how lucky she was to have grown up in what she called a very special time and place, small town America in the late 1940s and 1950s. She fascinated her grandchildren with stories of her foibles learning to be an operator on the town’s telephone switchboard and trying to convince them that there was life on this planet before television, much less before that inter-web thingie.

Although an only child, Carole was surrounded by her grandparents and an extended group of cousins growing up, most of whom have now preceded her. Raised to think independently, Carole often scandalized the Sisters at the Holy Guardian Angel School with her “willfulness,” until she “escaped” to public high school. There she eventually met and fell in love with the one and only love of her life, William A. (Bill) Stanfill.

They became engaged upon her high school graduation, but could not actually marry until she got her college degree. Carole proceeded to tackle that little obstacle with the single-mindedness and creativity that we all came to know and expect. She was a 4’10”, 90 pound force of nature, then and always.

Carole graduated from Southeast Missouri State University with honors in only three years, completing a true double-major in Art and Music Education (and receiving a K-12 grade teaching certificate for both), while being a varsity cheerleader and working part-time.

Bill and Carole promptly married on May 19, 1956, and were never apart again (except when the Army decided he needed to spend a couple of years in Vietnam) until his death on February 16, 2010. He never stood a chance, nor did he ever really want to.

They had two children, Bruce in 1957 and Cheryl Jo in 1959 (both of whom got a double-dose of the willfulness gene) and the family spent the next 20 years traveling to and living in 10 U.S. states on all three coasts, in Central American and in Puerto Rico, including an epic drive in 1968 from Washington, D.C. over the then still being constructed Pan-American Highway all the way through Central America to Panama. When Bill retired from the Army in 1973, the family moved back to Texas for good. During all those moves, Carole was the glue that kept everything together.

Besides her family, Carole’s true loves in life were teaching children and experiencing new people and places. She did both with her usual zeal and success.

Carole taught school around the country during the family’s travels, and upon settling in Houston, spent many rewarding years teaching art at Addicks Elementary School in Katy, Texas. During that time, her students regularly took high awards in the art competitions at the Harris and Fort Bend County Fairs and the Houston Livestock Show. Carole also earned her Master’s Degree in Education from Prairie View A&M University. And before her retirement in 1989, she was honored by her peers, receiving the state-wide “Master Teacher” designation several times.

Upon retirement, she and Bill moved to San Antonio and spent the next 20 years indulging their grandchildren and their passion for travel, visiting 48 of the 50 states, England, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Japan, Okinawa, Panama (again), Quebec, and most of the Caribbean Islands, culminating in a week long, all family Caribbean cruise to celebrate their 50th Anniversary in 2006.

Carole’s passing was preceded by her parents, by Bill in 2010, and by her grandson, Austin Stanfill, in 2013. She leaves her son and daughter-in-law, Bruce and Julie Stanfill, and their son Dylan in Houston, her daughter, Cheryl Jo Burns, and her children, Justin and Rebecca Burns in Cypress, Tx., her brothers and sisters-in-law, Dale (Stan) and Gale Stanfill of Wake Forest, N.C., and David Duane and Jackie Stanfill of Vacaville, Ca., and her great aunts, Audry and Joan West, and their families in Illinois.

Carole also leaves behind a host of life-long friends, and she and the family would particularly like to thank those who were there for her the last years after Bill passed, Margaret and Gerry Beyer, the Shirleys (Gidley and Cotton), Nellie Reddix, Estella Reyes, Lee Anna and Jim DePriest and Paul Wilkerson. The family would also like to thank Dr. Nate Shumay and the Oncology Department Staff at San Antonio Army Medical Center for Carole’s kind care in their hands for the last couple of years, and especially for letting her do it her way (as if any of us really had a choice).

Carole was always there for those she cared for, either attacking the problem or just sitting quietly, whatever was needed. When she was on the case, things were just better. Our world is diminished without her. While her body may be gone, her spirit lives on in each of us. Everyone has their own special “Granny” memory (or indeed several) – like at age 71 chasing after a purse snatcher who had just mugged her, so she could kick him in the “hoo-ha’s.” She is now back where she belongs, at Bill’s side forever. His gain is our temporary loss. We still have our memories to comfort us until we can join them. Please hold her in your hearts and think of her with a smile, as we will.

The family will gather for a private memorial service at a later date.

In lieu of customary remembrances, contributions in Carole’s memory may be directed to the Scholarship Fund she helped establish in the name of Austin Stanfill, c/o The University of St. Thomas Micro-Credit Program, 3800 Montrose Blvd., Houston, Texas 77006.

Arrangements are under the direction of:

Waltrip Funeral Directors

1415 Campbell Road

Houston, Texas 77055

If you have questions or need assistance, please call (713) 465-2525.