Carol Troutwine

Carol Ann (Benton) Troutwine was born on September 5, 1946 to John Ray Benton and Mona Kathleen (Egan) Powers. Carol was born in McKee, Blair County, Pennsylvania and raised in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. Carol was an excellent student. Shortly after graduation, she ventured out to California to visit her older brother Merl Travers. It was then that she met and married her first husband Raymond Eugene Langley which resulted in her first child James Ray Langley on March 12, 1966. Although this marriage didn’t last long, she was always grateful for her son. Shortly after the marriage dissolved, Carol went to visit her other brother Robert Charles Benton. Through this visitation, Carol started dating her one true love, Willard Timothy Troutwine. They were married on September 2, 1969. Through this union, four more children were created, Donna Kathleen (Troutwine-Hoffman) Knutson (October 27, 1969), Becki Sue Troutwine (November 9, 1971), Joyce Ann Troutwine (October 16, 1975), and Willard Timothy Troutwine, Jr. (July 2, 1979). Carol and Tim ventured across the United States trying to find the perfect place to suit their family (In Carol’s word “we are looking for Utopia!”. They lived in California, Kansas, Michigan, and many other places in between. They often joked about wanting to be gypsies (which wasn’t too far from the truth). Carol’s heart always belonged to California, but would make the journeys throughout the United States to keep her family happy and together. She worked in many kitchens in places such as The Ramada Inn and other miscellaneous jobs. She even started her own successful housekeeping business in her mid-forties to help support her family so her husband could pursue his education. One thing is for certain, Carol’s family was always her number one priority.

Carol loved many things in life. She loved her family and friends and enjoyed spending time with them all. She enjoyed playing Pinochle with her brother and his wife, cards with her in-laws, and was always a second mom to her children’s friends. Her home was always an open door welcoming anyone who needed a place to stay. She loved California, the beach, Precious Moments, Fleetwood mac, Janis Joplin, her and Tim’s song (Summer Rain by Johnny Rivers), gossiping, shopping the thrift stores and garage sales, bargain shopping, Christmas, Amish people, the Steeler’s, country music, Mary Higgins Clark books, and Recess’s peanut Butter Cups, and Facebook. She loved to write letters. Her children always received Slinky’s for Christmas to “keep the hometown going” since Slinky’s are made in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. She was an awesome Christmas present hider. Easter baskets always had plenty of Peeps and black Jelly Beans since she was the only one who liked them. Of all things she enjoyed spending time with her beautiful grandchildren.

One can say that Carol definitely lived a wild and carefree life which eventually played its toll on her kind-hearted body. Carol has fought many health battles in life. She has been sick for the past 15 years with a wide variety of aliments including a six by-pass open-heart surgery and stage IV lung cancer. She has showed us time and time again until God calls you home, you aren’t going anywhere. Carol moved back to Traverse City, Grand Traverse County, Michigan where she lived until her passing. Her late husband, Tim, passed away on November 23, 2009. It truly broke her heart, and she never fully recovered from her loss.

On March 24, 2012, the angels decided it was time for Carol to leave us and rejoin the love of her life, her mother, and her father in Heaven. She was at home and appears to have passed peacefully which is a great comfort to all those left behind. Carol is survived by her five children and nine grandchildren which were truly her pride and joy: James Ray Langley (Jodi Ann Wallace) and their two children (James Ray, Jr., 4/11/2000 and Jack Eldridge, 11/14/2001) of Lakewood, CA; Donna Kathleen Knutson (Steven) and her two children (Phillip George Ballew, 7/19/1990 and Kathleen Michelle Hoffman, 3/5/1992 ) of Petoskey, MI; Becki Sue Troutwine of Long Beach, CA; Joyce Ann Troutwine and her daughter (Emily Kathleen, 12/30/2001)of Grawn, MI; and Willard Timothy Troutwine, Jr. (Shirlina Watts) and their four children (Jacob Freedom, 3/30/1999, Taylor Christine, 6/28/2000, Madison Nicole, 5/14/2002, and Brooklyn Grace, 8/8/2011)of Grawn, MI. She is also survived by her two brothers, Merl Travers (29 Palms, CA) and Robert Charles Benton (Altoona, PA). She also leaves many other family and friends who will truly miss her “Heart of Gold”.

Private family services are being held at Life Story Funeral Home and a Memorial Service for family and friends will be held at 2:00pm, Saturday, April 14, 2012 at the home of her daughter, Joyce Troutwine, 1732 Sunburst St., Grawn, Michigan, (562) 544-3184.

In lieu of flowers, Memorial Contributions may be made to her son, James Langley, c/o Life Story Funeral Home, 752 Munson Ave., Traverse City, Michigan 49686.

Please sign the online guest book or share a memory or message with her family.