Carol Karnowski

Carol Karnowski, 76, of Pulaski, Wisconsin passed away on September 30, 2024. Carol fought a short but courageous battle with cancer and was surrounded by family in her final moments.

Carol was born in Ramsay, Michigan to Arne (Sam) and Annabelle Kuismi. She was the second oldest of four kids and helped raise her two younger siblings who called her “Mama Carol.” As a child she enjoyed dance classes, singing, playing trombone, riding her bike and swimming in the Black River. The family moved her senior year; she graduated from Aurora Hoyt Lakes High School.

Carol went to college at Wayne State in Detroit to obtain her teaching certificate but was unable to complete her studies due to a shortage of funds. She later moved to Milwaukee where she met the love of her life, her husband Frank, on a double-date with Frank’s sister Grace. She had told the story that she knew she was falling for Frank when he showed up with flowers, unannounced and in the middle of the night, at a bus station when she was traveling from Milwaukee to Duluth. Carol and Frank were married in 1973 and had three daughters, Susann, Laurie and Amanda. They moved from Milwaukee to rural Pulaski in January 1980 and she lived there until her death.

There were so many amazing things about Carol. She was elegant and graceful, always put together and would wear beautiful shawls and scarves. Carol never met a stranger. She could talk to anyone and loved hearing about what other people were doing. She took a great interest in everyone. She loved learning about new things and keeping up with current events. Doing crossword puzzles, watching subtitled foreign movies, talking about politics and watching Judge Judy were a part of her daily routine. She also loved taking four-wheeler rides around the property, skiing, swimming and saunaing, and spending time at the lake house her father built. She was very proud of her Finnish heritage.

Carol was an amazing baker. She made the best pies for the holidays – lemon meringue, pumpkin cheesecake, sour cream apple, banana cream and pecan were just a few of our favorites. She hated dirty windows. We always knew she had visited because the windows would be sparkling clean!

Carol had three grandchildren who she loved dearly and who loved her back just as much. Carol and Frank never missed a grandparent’s day at their schools, and went to as many recitals, sports games, and concerts as they could. They were full-time babysitters the first year of each of their grandchildren’s lives and loved every minute they got to spend with them.

We almost never saw Carol without a book nearby. She was a voracious reader. We joked we couldn’t let her go to the library by herself because she would pick up too many books and would stay awake all night reading, speed-reading multiple books in a day. She also loved to read to her grandchildren; we have many pictures of Grandma holding her grandkids in her lap with a book in hand. She had a beautiful singing voice, was an amazing artist and could name just about any flower that she saw. She was clever and quick-witted, had a great sense of humor, and loved to joke and laugh. Even at the end, she still would try to lighten the mood by joking with the nurses and staff that took such great care of her.

Carol is survived by her husband Frank, daughters Susann, Laurie (Dennis), Amanda (Shawn), grandchildren Amelia, Allyson and Joey, sister Denise (Boyd), and many brother and sister in-laws, nieces, nephews and friends who will miss her dearly.

She was preceded in death by her parents and brother Daniel.

Thank you to Meng Resident Unity Hospice Staff for their incomparable care of Carol – Jana, Mary, Sharon, Philip, Brittany, Lori, Ashley, Linda and others who made her comfortable in the end.

We love you to pieces, to the moon and back, forever and ever.

At Carol’s request there will not be a service but a private interment with immediate family in her childhood city.