Carol Lee Crandall Holmes, age 83, of New Glarus, WI passed away on Friday, April 19 at OSF St. Anthony Medical Center in Rockford, IL. She was born on February 17, 1941 in Freeport, IL, the daughter of Leland and Edith (Brewer) Crandall. Carol grew up in Winslow, where her father owned several small agriculture-serving businesses. The family at one time lived above the store in the heart of the tiny "downtown," and her playground was among the busy adult-centered goings on. We believe this is where she began to develop her grace-filled social skills and emotional intelligence to interact with a variety of personalities and age ranges. She attended Winslow Elementary, and then, seeking better educational opportunities for their daughter, the family moved to Freeport, where Carol attended Freeport High School and was active in debate and public speaking, theater, journalism, yearbook, and other activities where she further developed her communication, thinking, and leadership skills. After graduation, she attended the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. At vacation times, Carol shared many four-hour-long car rides home from school with Robert "Bobby" Holmes, a hometown boy, and brother of her good childhood friend Judy. Anyone who knows Bob and Carol will easily be able to imagine the rich and interesting types of conversations they must have had during these trips. Inevitably their relationship grew during Carol's early college years, and on February 5, 1961, Carol and Robert were married.

As John Lennon famously said, "Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans," and in September of 1962, Carol and Bob welcomed baby daughter Leanne. At this point, Carol's Occupational Therapy program director advised her that she should give up any notion of a career because it would be too difficult to complete her degree and work while trying to raise children. The ever-determined and confident Carol was sure she could do both, and despite reservations and worries from others close to her, she continued with her secondary education while parenting. In December of 1964, daughter Beth was born, and, thanks to a great deal of persistence and hard work, a relentlessly supportive husband and good marital teamwork, and with the help of a neighbor/friend who cared for Leanne and Beth as though they were her own, Carol graduated in 1967 from the University of Illinois College of Medicine with a B. S. in Occupational Therapy. In 1984 she graduated from the University of Wisconsin with an M.S. in Continuing and Vocational Education.

Regarded by many as a mentor and nicknamed by her students as "The Nurturer," Carol led an active working life dedicated to faith, family, career, and professional and community service, often focused directly or indirectly on helping others reach greater potentials. She began her career as a hospital therapist specializing in mental health and stroke rehab, collaborating with other departments to develop Occupational Therapy programs within the hospitals in which she worked. After moving to the farm in New Glarus and working for several years at a therapist at (then-named) St. Clare Hospital in Monroe, she got a job teaching in the Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) program at Madison College (formerly MATC). Carol was ever dedicated to the growth of her profession, and the continuing education of adult learners. She served as President of The Wisconsin Occupational Therapy Association (WOTA) and served as Treasurer and on the Executive Board of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). She was a lead in advocating for state licensing for Occupational Therapists in Wisconsin. As an AOTA board member, she traveled to China for a People-to-People best-practices exchange. She culminated her professional working life by serving as the Assistant Director of Staff Development at Madison College (MATC) where she collaborated with many to re-envision what purposes secondary education should serve. In her off hours, she was a Girl Scout leader, a 4-H leader, an avid supporter of New Glarus High School's AFS foreign exchange program, and a supporter of her daughters' various activities. She served on the Swiss United Church of Christ (SUCC) consistory and long with Robert, was a long-time participant and sponsor of mission work in El Salvador through SUCC. She was involved in numerous leadership capacities during her 20+-year involvement with Habitat for Humanity of Green County, supporting families through 11 home builds. In later years, Carol was a Hospice volunteer and assisted older friends in New Glarus in maintaining independent lives at home. Carol has been the glue that has held together a large but tight-knit extended family, many of whom are spread widely across the country. We have many treasured memories of spending good times together talking and playing games out on the porch, and enjoying several quite special multi-generational extended family trips, including a bus tour through Ireland, and repeat adventures through one of Carol and Bob's favorite places on Earth, the Canadian Rockies.

Carol is survived by daughters Leanne (John) Johnson and Beth Holmes, grandchildren Michael (Chelsea) Johnson, David (Alison) Johnson, Christine Oshiki, Julia Oshiki, great-grandson Colton, and great-granddaughers Ellanor and Clara Johnson. She is survived by sister Susan Glaser, and sisters-in-law Marjorie Holmes, Judy (James) Henderson, and Linda (Woody) Higley, as well as nieces and nephews who affectionately refer to her as "Princess Carol."

She was preceded in death by her husband Robert, her parents, by in-laws John and Arvilla Holmes, brother-in-law Donald, and by niece Julie.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 1, 2024 at the Swiss United Church of Christ, 18 Fifth Ave., New Glarus, WI.  Pat Pluss will officiate.

A gathering will precede the memorial service from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 1, 2024, at the Swiss United Church of Christ in New Glarus.

The Zentner-Beal Funeral Home of New Glarus is assisting the family.

Memorial gifts are suggested to be given to Habitat for Humanity of Green County, and the Swiss United Church of Christ in New Glarus.