Carol leaves behind her beloved husband John Timmons Bruton, a highly decorated Vietnam War veteran, children John Thomas Hillman, 57, and his husband Marcelo Coronado, twins Beth Louise Prather, with her significant other Leonard Zastrow, and Amy Jo Kirshbaum, both 53, Amy’s husband Scott, and grandchildren children Jason and Brittany, brother and sister-in law, Thomas and Diana Bruton and her nephews Robert and Nathaniel, and brother and sister-in- law Maurice and Christine (Tina) Hickson, and nieces Kaitlyn and Kasey. Carol’s parents were Clyde and Carolyn Queen (nee: Houser) deceased, and a brother Clyde.
Carol was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1934. She was raised there and lived an active, long and full life as a wife, mother, friend, leader, lay advocate, election judge, precinct leader, co-founder of the Norwood Park Historical Society and past vice president, a Senior Newsletter editor, pink lady, antique dealer, toy inventor, model and artist. She was a graduate of the oldest, most prestigious art school in America at the time, Ray-Vogue College of Art & Design, with a degree in art and communication. Her previous studies were completed at the Bryant & Stratton Business College and the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago. During her career, she served under former Chicago, IL mayor Jane Byrne, was a telephone operator, and an assistant to the Production Designer at Wilding Studios in Chicago, originally known as Essanay Studios, where Charlie Chaplin once worked. Carol was a “looker”, and winner of the Miss Northwest Chicago beauty pageant. In addition, Carol was a “live” floor model as well as a window model for major department stores and advertising agencies throughout Chicago, appearing in many magazine and newspaper ads.
While visiting South Florida in the 80’s, she met her future husband John. They later settled in Brevard County, Florida, marrying John as a December bride in 1990. As a resident of Brevard County, Carol thoroughly enjoyed fishing, swimming, looking for antiques, and working as a government administrative civil service employee for the Naval Ordnance Test Unit (NOTU) at Cape Canaveral, Florida, where she worked for more than ten years. During her tenure at NOTU, Carol received many meritorious U.S. Navy citations, awards, and recognition for her significant, valuable contributions.
A memorial service and interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, on a date not yet specified by the National Cemetery. Family and friends are encouraged to visit this website, https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/9297716 for updated service information which will be provided when it becomes available.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Carol’s memory to the Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois, https://www.lcfs.org/adoption or toll free 1-800-363-LCFS.
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