Carol Conley

There are few who can master being both feisty and tender-hearted, but Carol Conley made doing so seem effortless. She was never afraid of climbing into anything, especially when it came to her family, yet she was kind, compassionate, and gracious at the same time. Carol was full of little quirks such as whistling loudly for her children to come home or flicking the lights on and off in the garage to summon her husband inside, all of which made her such a treasured woman. She leaves behind lessons in perseverance, strength, and unconditional love that will be forever cherished by those she leaves behind.

As the thirties drew to a close, many Americans were hopeful that the following decade would bring a reprieve from the Great Depression that had clutched our nation throughout the entire decade. The family of Lee and Marian (Palmer) Wescott had great hope for the future as they welcomed the birth of their daughter, Carol Lee, on August 2, 1939. Carol was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, as the older of two girls in her family. When she was four or five, her father secured employment in the automotive stamping industry so their family moved to Detroit where they lived in a travel trailer for a time. They later moved into a home in Grosse Point Woods but when her father took a job with Ford Motor Company in Buffalo, their family relocated to New York. Between Carol’s fifth and sixth grade year, her father was transferred to Cleveland, but Carol remained in Buffalo working as a nanny during the summer before joining her family in Ohio that fall. Once in Cleveland, Carol held down a variety of jobs including at a meat market. Carol attended local schools including Bedford High School, which is where she met the young man with whom she would share an enduring love. His name was Robert Conley and after dating for one year, Bob presented Carol with an engagement ring as a Christmas present.

After becoming husband and wife on November 15, 1958 in Maple Heights, Ohio, Carol and Bob were anxious to begin a new chapter in their lives. It wasn’t long before the young couple was blessed with the birth of their daughter, Sally. When Bob’s job with Ford transferred him to the Woodhaven Stamping Plant, their family of three moved to Dearborn Heights. Bob initially commuted to Woodhaven before moving his office to the Rouge Building. Once they were settled in Michigan, their family welcomed son Bob into their family and with his birth, their family was complete. Carol was involved in all of her children’s activities, including as a Girl Scout leader with Sally, and she was never shy to “home coach” Bob through his little league experience. Carol completely immersed herself into caring for her family and always defended her children in every circumstance. She provided her children with a living, breathing example of perseverance through times of trial and to stand up for what they believed in. Carol’s children also developed a strong sense of family by her example.

Many of the activities that Carol enjoyed were shared interests with her family. In 1977, Bob purchased a project car, which began a lifelong passion for racing. They were first interested in street rods, but later with their initial exposure to the CART racing group, Carol and Bob were hooked. Soon, they worked within the organization as traveling CART officials at races all around the country. Carol worked at Comerica Bank as a teller but every weekend, they flew to a CART race where Carol worked both timing and scoring. Their commitment to the sport remained strong from 1982 to 1998.

There were additional interests that were unique to Carol. One of the things she was best known for was her love for shopping. When she and Bob were first married, she furnished their house with her paychecks. Carol had a tendency to buy the largest thing she could fit into her car. the word, "fit" was Carol's definition. It was the Friday night ritual for the neighbors to keep an eye out for Carol to get home just to see what she had purchased with her paycheck. She bowled for years, loved to dance and watch rodeos, and she was never afraid to singlehandedly tackle a home improvement project. Carol also loved to camp, read, crochet and cross-stitch.

When their son Bob dated a girl who spent time at Rainbow Lake, he came home and told his parents about some property there. Carol and Bob soon purchased some lakefront property. What began as a cabin blueprint grew into a comfortable home on the lake where they moved when they retired. Carol continued to relish the times she spent with her family, which grew to include four grandchildren. When her great-grandson was born, it became apparent that nothing and no one else mattered according to Carol. Throughout their 51 year marriage, Carol and Bob shared such a special relationship. They were true companions who were rarely apart. They were a perfect balance, too, as she was his brain and he was her brawn.

Carol Conley was such an extraordinary woman to so many others, and each person whose life she touched will miss her in their own way. Her daughter will miss her best friend who she talked to everyday, and her son will miss his mother’s fiery personality. Carol’s husband will miss his best friend, and countless others will miss her vibrant spirit. She adored her family and was even known to embarrass her husband and children from time to time. Carol was independent and strong, gracious and generous - always willing to help anyone in need. Her memory will be forever cherished by those she leaves behind.

Carol Lee Conley died on February 22, 2010. Carol’s family includes her husband, Robert Conley; children, Sally (John) Bentley of Pinckney and Bob (Toni) Conley of Plymouth; four grandchildren, Jennifer and Sarah Bentley, and Bradley and Lauren Conley; one great-grandson, Jacob Bentley; sister, Mary Ann Evans; and two nieces, Jan (Scott) Alford and Lorri Stellhorn. She was preceded in death by her parents. Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m., Thursday, February 25, 2010, at the Abbott Chapel of Osgood Funeral Homes, 509 E. Main St., Maple Rapids, with Sonny House officiating, burial to follow at Payne Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 4-8 p.m., Wednesday at the funeral home. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can leave a favorite memory, sign the online guestbook, or make a memorial donation to a young family friend who is battling an autoimmune disorder that requires scheduled trips to Cincinnati Ohio Children’s Hospital in hopes to find a cure. Please make contributions to Robert Conley and mail to Osgood Funeral Home, 104 E. Cass St., St. Johns, MI 48879.