Carolin Kay Whipple was born on February 8, 1937, to Annabelle and Wellington Smith in Vicksburg, Michigan. She was the second of their three children with an older sister, Barbara ( Boss ) and a younger brother, Darrell. Barbara would introduce her to her future husband, Victor.
An assortment of jobs occupied her free time after school including babysitting, waitressing, operating a switchboard for the community, and on occasion singing with Rem Wall and his band at dances around the area.
After graduating from Kellogg High School in Delton Michigan, she declined a full scholarship to Kalamazoo College to embark on her new life.
Vic returned from Korea and the two were married on January 3, 1956. Soon they had a new bundle of joy named Mark. Vic enrolled at WMU and they moved to married housing where they met some of their life-long friends among the other student couples. Carolin worked at Upjohn Pharmaceuticals and Vic at Firestone.
Upon receiving a job offer in Lansing, they moved the family to Williamston, Michigan. Soon came another child named Matt. Two years later and another job encouraged the move to Mason, Michigan where they would live for the next fifty years. Vic began his Insurance career and Carolin made a new home for her family and babysat until her youngest started school. She then went to work for the Ingham Intermediate School District Career Center as an Office Manager, where she remained until her retirement. Her teacher's work schedule allowed her to spend large portions of the summer at their property in Northport where she would work on her tan, devour books by the truckload, and walk the beach with her beloved poodle, Suzi.
One of her great loves was singing in several church choirs in various communities, and then she found her Sisterhood in the group Sweet Adelines. The chorus brought her so much joy. Amazing friends, opportunities for creativity, travel around the country and abroad on trips to Europe and Australia, and great shopping excursions were just a few of the perks. Carolin LOVED to shop!
Carolin was an avid sports fan all of her days. She loved to play softball and did until forty when someone suggested she was too old. Then she put down her glove, picked up a ball and joined a bowling league. Baseball, football, basketball she watched them all and enthusiastically cheered on her favorite teams.
She is survived by her husband of 63 years, Victor; brother, Darrell Smith and wife Phyllis; sisters-in-law, Patricia Smalley, Kathy Yancey, Janet Hawks; son, Mark and wife Cindy Travis; son, Matt; grandson, Doug and wife Melissa Warrington; granddaughter, Andrea; great-grandchildren, Kaylee Foote, Addie and Zoey; a large extended family and many dear friends. She will be greatly missed.
A Memorial Service will be held at the Mason First United Methodist Church on June 9, 2019, at 2:00 pm with a luncheon to follow. At the families request, in lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the American Heart Association or any charity dedicated to Dementia research or treatment.
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