Carol Rae Paul McPherson Obituary (1937 - 2014)

Born Feb 09, 1937, Carol Rae Paul McPherson attended Charlevoix High School in Charlevoix, MI. View the obituary, post a memory, or share a photo about Carol Rae Paul Mcpherson.

Graduation Year	Class of 1954
Date of Birth	Feb 09, 1937
Date of Passing	Apr 09, 2014
About	TRAVERSE CITY — Carol Rae McPherson, 77, of Traverse City, passed away April 9, 2014, at Munson Medical Center, with her loving family at her side. Carol was born Feb. 9, 1937, in Yuma, to Ernest and Blanche (Voorheis) Paul. The family lived in Pompeii, Ithaca, Ashley and Elsie before moving to Charlevoix in 1946. Carol graduated from Charlevoix High School in 1954 and attended Central Michigan University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in education. She loved children and taught school for 40 years, the last 32 of which were at Central Grade School in Traverse City. She retired from teaching in 1997. On June 28, 1958, she married Arnold L. McPherson, of Eastport, at the First Congregational Church in Charlevoix, with the Reverend Harold E. Kohn officiating. They had 49 wonderful years together. In addition to teaching, Carol especially liked traveling and camping. She was in all of the continental United States, plus Canada and Mexico. Her favorite hobby was collecting picture post cards from the places she visited, from which she had a collection of more than 3,500 cards, many of which she used in her teaching of social studies. She also liked photography, camping and bowling. Growing up on Lake Charlevoix she enjoyed swimming, canoeing, water skiing and ice skating. But most of all, she loved her family. Carol was active in both Girls Scouts and Boy Scouts as her children were growing up. She was a Girl Scout leader, a Den Mother, Boy Scout Committee member, treasurer and recording secretary of the Music Boosters of the Traverse City Public Schools and was in charge of the spaghetti dinner fundraiser of ticket sales and raffle prizes for football for many years. She was a member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church of Traverse City, a member of the M.E.A, the N.E.A. and the Michigan Association of Retired School Personnel. She is survived by five children, Terri Campbell (Mark) Smith, of Traverse City, Brian (Teresa) McPherson, of Novi, Craig (Mary Ann) McPherson, of St. Louis, Kevin (Janelle) McPherson, of Traverse City, and Chad (Teresa) McPherson, of Fisherville, Ky.; 10 grandchildren, Tamara, Rachel, Matthew, Stephanie, Danielle, Jennifer, Ashley, Justin, Lance and Graham Patrick; three great-grandchildren, Logan, Colton and Caleb; sister, Cora Falls, of Dike, Texas; brother, Jack (Pat) Paul, of Albion; two brothers-in-law, Thomas Weir, of Traverse City, and Jerry Dawson, of Eastport; one sister-in-law, Donna (Cass) Russell, of Charlevoix; three nieces who all live in Traverse City, Dr. Sherry Weir, Debbie Westphal and Wendy Lang; plus many other nieces and nephews, cousins and friends by whom she will be greatly missed. Carol was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Arnold; brother, Jerry; sisters, Lois, Connie and Joyce; brother-in-law, Merrill Brown; niece, Penny; and nephew, Robert. Private family services will be held. Interment will be in Lakeview Cemetery, Eastport. Memorial donations in her memory may be made to an organization of one’s choice. Please sign her online guestbook www.mortensenfuneralhomes.com. Arrangements have been handled by the Central Lake Chapel of Mortensen Funeral Homes.