Carol Jean Hildrum

Carol grew up in Kent, one of five children of Helen and Bob Harvey. A graduate of Kent-Meridian High School, she was proud to use one of her first paychecks to buy her parents a new refrigerator. She met and married Jon Hildrum in 1968, and they moved to Renton in 1977.

She was an in-home volunteer for Catholic Community Services for several years and later at the Humane Society. She was a regular donor to the Food Bank but hated giving money, instead making good use of her love of bargain hunting to load up on great deals and donate something tangible. Chasing great deals was a lifelong passion, and it was always entertaining to see the look on the face of the cashier at Safeway when she asked for a raincheck on blueberries or green beans. She had a great sense of humor to the end, gently making fun of her husband or telling slightly off-color jokes.

Carol spent most of her life thinking of others. A passing comment in her earshot about liking chocolate milk and you could count on it being in the fridge every time you visited, forever. Her habit of making others’ lives better extended well beyond family. Carol traveled annually to Taxco, Mexico and built friendships with the shopkeepers and hotel staff there, sent gifts, received baby and wedding announcements and became genuinely vested in the happiness of people who she met.

Carol is survived by her four brothers, James, Donald, Edward, and Richard; by her husband Jon; their three children Kris, Tom, and Mike; her daughter Kaaren from a previous relationship; and many grandchildren.