Carole A. Michels

Carole A. Michels, age 73 of rural Elburn, passed away peacefully, Saturday, August 16, 2014 at home surrounded by her loving husband and children and her dear sister Judy. She has been at her home and/or lake home under family, Hospice and Home Helpers care since April 11, 2014. Carole was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2004 and has been resigned to her condition with an enduring faith in God that was one of her characteristics throughout her life. Carole gave unconditional love and effort to everyone that she met and to everything that she did.Carole was born June 29, 1941, at Aurora, IL, the daughter of Roy and Gertrude (Kroeger) Brown, She grew up in Aurora the "middle" child of four children. Carole attended East Aurora Public Schools, namely Oak Park Elementary School, East Aurora Junior High School, and graduated mid-term in the first graduating class from the "new" East Aurora High School in 1959. In high school she developed lifelong friendships with several special friends. Upon graduation from high school, Carole began her career as a secretary with IBM in Aurora and developed the skills that served her well throughout her life. She was with her friends when she met her future husband Jim at the A&W Root Beer Stand at Aurora and started a romance that lasted almost 55 years. They dated while Jim attended Marquette University and were engaged on June 24, 1962 on Powers Lake, WI and they were married on December 1, 1962 at St. Therese Catholic Church, Aurora. After a brief honeymoon, they returned to Oklahoma City where Jim was stationed as a commissioned officer with the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) in the Division of Indian Health. It was while in Oklahoma City that their oldest child, Patrick "Sean" was born in October 1963. Soon afterward they were transferred to Henryetta, OK where Christopher "Todd" was born in January 1965. Due to the reorganization of the USPHS, they moved to New Brighton, MN where they were blessed with their daughter "Denise" Marie who was born in August 1966. The family of five made another move to Norman, OK in 1968 where Jim attended the University of Oklahoma and Carole made many friends with her outgoing personality, entertainment and cooking skills. Finally, in 1969 they returned "home" to reside at their present home in Blackberry Twp. and joined their extensive families and made a large number of new friends. Carole enjoyed her new home and rejoining her family. She became active in St. Gall Catholic Church where she was a Eucharistic Minister among many other things. Carole concentrated on raising her three children and, along with her sisters, looking after her mother and dad and her widowed mother in law. She resumed her secretarial skills as the secretary of the newly formed consulting engineering firm Engineering Enterprises, Inc. at Elburn in 1974. Carole then became active in the Elburn Business Council and in 1982 she became a realtor with Leuer Realty where she was a "top producer" for most of her 30 year career. Carole was a member and president of the Greater Aurora Association of Realtors and a member of the Fox Valley Board of Realtors; she held several leadership positions with both boards. She was also a charter member of the Kane County Tourism Association and a member of the Kaneland Foundation and the Waubonsee Community College Foundation. Carole was a precinct committee person for Blackberry Twp., Kane Co. for many years. She was one of the seven founders of Kaneland Community Bank, now American Bank and Trust, Elburn. Carole was also the Corporate Secretary Emeritus of Engineering Enterprises, Inc., Sugar Grove, IL. Carole enjoyed life, especially entertaining family and friends by cooking and baking, she also enjoyed traveling with her family and friends, and vacationing at Powers Lake, WI.A loving wife and totally devoted mother and grandmother, her greatest joy was to care for her family. Her love was mirrored in the lives of her children and grandchildren who adored her. She is survived by her husband Jim, two sons, Sean (Valerie) Michels of Sugar Grove, Todd (Jacqui) Michels of Chicago, and one daughter Denise (Brian) Migliorini of Plano; three sisters Jean (Don) White of Big Rock, Joan McCue of Aurora and Judy (Jim) Kreitz of Sugar Grove; and nine grandchildren: Abby, Nick, Maddy and Sophie Michels of Sugar Grove, Greycn, Alexa and Samantha Michels of Chicago, and Gina and Nico Migliorini of Plano; three sisters in law, Pat, Lil and Lois Michels and Anna Marie Avram and her brother in law Nello Avram; and 44 nieces and nephews.She joins now her parents and two grandsons Geno and Ryan Migliorini; her mother and father in law Marie and Ben Michels; her brothers in law, Bob, Art and Bern Michels, and Jim McCue Sr.; and five nieces and nephews. Her visitation will be held at St. Gall Catholic Church, IL Rte. 47 and Shannon St., Elburn on Thursday, August 21, 2014 from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., with a wake service to begin at 8 p.m., where family and friends are invited to view her remains in the church and to "Celebrate Carole’s Life" in the church hall. Her funeral will be held at St. Gall Catholic Church, IL Rte. 47 and Shannon St., on Friday, August 22, 2014 with visitation from 9:30 a.m. until 10:15 a.m. and mass at 10:30 a.m. Fr. Timothy Seigel will officiate and interment will follow at the Greenwood Cemetery, Hinckley. A memorial has been established in her name to benefit St. Gall Catholic Church, CNS Hospice, the Elburn Lions Club, the Luxembourg American Cultural Society, and/or the Alzheimer’s Association. Checks may be made to the "Carole A. Michels Memorial" and mailed in care of P.O. Box 66, Elburn, IL 60119. Tributes may be forwarded to the family at the same address or on the web at www.conleycare.com.

Rte. 47 & Shannon St.Elburn, Illinois 60119

Hinckley, IL