Carole Sue Easton, age 69 years of Niles, Michigan, wife, mother, grandmother, camper, VW driver, and an aficionada of all things m&m died peacefully at 1:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 19, 2022 with her family gathered around her bed at home following a brief illness. Her family is grateful for the kind and compassionate care provided by the staff of Caring Circle Hospice at Home.
She was born on June 15, 1952 in Niles to Edwin L. and Elenora V. (Wedel) Stephenson, and was graduated from Niles High School. She was employed by the Brandywine Community Schools as coordinator of the Food Service program. She has lived in Niles all of her life.
Carole was a member of Saint John’s United Church of Christ in Niles. She maintained a wonderful flower garden at home, enjoyed watching the comings and goings at the birdfeeder, and enjoyed using the backyard swimming pool, especially when swimming with the grandchildren. She also enjoyed going camping usually “up north” at Silver Lake where she and Ron would drive their custom-built dune buggy. She drove a 1964 VW beetle “greenie” for many years that was later modified for drag racing. She wasn’t afraid to take a pass down the dragstrip with it should the opportunity arise. She was a regular visitor to area auto shows, looking at all of the show cars, but always watching for the VWs.
Her other great interest was that candy-coated chocolate the “Melts in your mouth, not in your hand”: m&m’s. She had a considerable collection of m&m memorabilia, and always had the candy dish full of a variety of m&m’s to offer to guests and to her grandchildren. Those grandchildren and the rest of her family was her greatest interest and joy.
She was married on September 2, 1972 at Saint John’s Church to Ronald Joe “Ron” Easton with whom she celebrated last year the remarkable Forty-ninth Anniversary of their wedding.
Surviving family includes her husband, Ron and their children, Tracy (& Jeffrey) Axline and Bradley (& Sondra) Easton, both of Niles; grandchildren William (& Morgan) Lewis II, Shelby Axline, Tobin Easton, and Antigone Easton; Carole’s sisters, Brenda Joseph of Niles and Sandy (& Charlie) Keirns of Birch Run, Michigan; several nieces and nephews; and a wonderful circle of great friends from the Brandywine Schools and car club communities.
The funeral service for Carole Easton will be at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, January 24, 2022 at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home, 615 East Main Street in Niles with Carole’s nephew, Pastor Josh Wiggins of Edwards Corners Bible Church in Marcellus, Michigan officiating. Committal will follow at Mission Hills.
The family will receive relatives and friends on Sunday, January 23, from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Memories of Carole are best honored by sharing with someone over a bowl of m&m’s Online condolences may be left at:
www.halbritterwickens.com
Carole clearly loved life and the people around her: keeping the lunch ladies organized and the students fed; enjoying the fellowship of car shows, campgrounds, and racetracks; and both the quiet times of wildlife feeding in the backyard and the noisy celebrations of grandchildren in the swimming pool. All evidence of loving people . . . and their Creator.