Obituary of Carol E. Telling

Carol Eveleyn (Leonard) Telling

Carol Evelyn Leonard Telling was born Sept. 10, 1929 in the front bedroom of her parents (Victor and Mary Leonard) home on McKinley hill in Tacoma, WA.  She joined her sisters Doris and Mary Frances and brothers Harry Walter and Donald.  Little brother Tom came a few years later.  Mom loved to sing and took piano and tap dance lessons.  We would gather around the piano and sing along while she played and sang.  She had a beautiful alto voice and one of her favorite classes at Lincoln High School was choir.  She was also in the senior choir at Immanuel Lutheran Church where her sister Doris was organist and choir director.  Mom enjoyed going to her children's music programs whether they were choir or band.  Later, when she had grandchildren, she would attend as many of their concerts as she could along with school plays.

Mom was a good, basic cook.  We all remember her roasts, chickens, potatoes and gravy, biscuits, cakes, pies and cookies.  And her camping cooking was just as good whether it was tent camping or in a travel trailer.  There were many good times camping at the beach, Mt. St. Helens or, when dad's Air Force duty called, driving to Denver and back as well as Texas.  One of their favorite places to go in their trailer was Fort Worden State Park.  More than once all her kids and grandkids were there and she enjoyed having her family around her.

Mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2004.  Diana then moved to their home to help Dad take care of Mom.  Later on, as Mom's disease progressed, they got a home care aide, Cassie to help Mom when Diana worked nights.  About 2 years before Dad passed, he needed help himself.  Before he died, Dad asked that Mom not go to a nursing home and for Cassie and Diana to take care of Mom.  As the disease progessed even more, Mom needed more and more care, Diane doing the bulk of the care, with Cassie helping some.  They followed Dad's wish to keep Mom at home.  Mom died at home and Diane was with her.  Mom's Dr. had said in the past, that Mom lived longer than expected due to the loving care she received at home and not going to a facility.

Mom did an amazing job of raising six kids, while living in places far from her family.  Driving across the country in a 1953 Plymouth station wagon with six kids, two of which were just newborn babies, was not for the faint of heart, but Mom kept us safe and sound.  One of the funniest things I recall: "You're a good kid, David. but who likes kids?"

Mom also enjoyed sewing.  She made clothing for us children and we could usually find a new shirt or article of clothing underneath the Christmas tree.  Mom also helped teach her son Randy how to sew.  He made many things for his GI Joe figures such as uniforms, tents, sleeping bags and even a parachute.  She had a large box full of odds and end pieces of material that were used by Randy to make quilts.  One proud moment for Randy was when eh got his first deer Mom made an amazing venison dinner with the round steak from the deer including incredible gravy and mashed potatoes.  That made Randy feel very special.