Carol Guldswog
1939-2024
NORWAY — On the bright sunny afternoon of Friday, May 24, 2024, Carol D. Guldswog took God’s hand and peacefully joined him, while residing at Optalis Rehabilitation and Care facility in Kingsford.
Carol was born July 27, 1939, to Elmer and Leona (Eastman) Arvey of Kingsford. She would often reminisce about her childhood living across from the Ford auto factory, playing kick-the-can into the evening hours until the factory whistle blew.
Carol graduated from Kingsford High School, and it was during her high school years that she met her future husband Dale Guldswog, while taking tap dancing lessons. Carol and Dale were married on Feb. 15, 1958, at Bethany Lutheran Church in Norway. They settled down in Norway raising their three children Marsha, Scott, and Dean.
During high school, Carol’s first job was at the Ace Drugstore in Iron Mountain, where she was a “soda jerk” serving up cherry coke soda pop, and ice cream sodas to the local town patrons. It was there that her enjoyment of working with the public began, and continued throughout her working career, at various stores in Norway.
She was also involved as a Cub Scout leader for Scott and Dean’s troop, worked for community schools to recruit students to fill classes, and as child welfare chairman for the Kingsford Legion Post.
Carol always had a smile, and was ready with a hug, a kind word, or a funny joke to brighten someone’s day; she was also always ready to help anyone in need. Anyone who met her would no doubt remember her for not only her big heart, but her quick wit and humor, and that big grin on her face after one of her witty comments came out of her mouth.
Carol loved music and could often be found cooking, cleaning, reading the newspaper, or working a crossword puzzle with the stereo on, playing a wide variety of music. She also enjoyed feeding and watching the birds from her kitchen window, tending to her flowers, and sitting on her back patio chatting with anyone who passed by. She even kept track of all the different birds that would come into her feeders, and how many times they came back.
Carol shared her love for people and knowledge of so many with her oldest grandson Garrett, at a very young age, when she took him “cemetery hoppin'”, walking the cemetery and cleaning flowers at not only the family plots, but numerous others she considered good friends, or even family.
Carol and Garrett continued that tradition for over 30 years, adding a stop at Dairy Queen, in the later years, for an ice cream Sunday, as a treat for their “hard” work.
Carol is survived by her children, Marsha (Bill Glime) Guldswog, Scott (Sonya McLain) Guldswog, and Dean (Michelle) Guldswog; grandchildren, Garrett (Cesar Nieto) Marinconz, Justin (Courtney) Degenaer, Samantha Guldswog, Paige (Kevin) DeRidder, Nicolette (Anthony) Grenier, Traves (Maddie Moln) Guldswog, Tyler (Lisa Hawks) Guldswog, Austen Guldswog, Valia Guldswog, Michael Bricker, and Ashley Taylor; great-grandchildren Jude, Jadyn, and Jaylee Degenaer, Everly, Hudson, and Theo DeRidder, Aristen and Emma Grenier, Breu Guldswog, and Grace Taylor; brother-in-law, Donald (Rita) Guldswog; special niece, Linda Pietrantonio Cook; and many other nieces and nephews.
Carol was preceded in death by her husband, Dale; infant son, Michael Lee; parents, Elmer and Leona; brother, Lee (Becky) Arvey; sisters, Shirley (John) Pietrantonio, Joyce (Frank) Sudac, and Gloria (Richard) Cesar; and in-laws, John and Viola Guldswog.
Family will greet friends on Friday, June 7 from 10 a.m. to noon at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Norway.
A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, at noon at the church with Rev. Dr. Michael Langlais officiating.
Interment will be held at the Norway Township Cemetery.
We offer a toast to Carol and her life well lived, with a toast she would often give when the occasion called for it…
-Little Things-
“Here’s to each and every little thing, your little thing, and my little thing; if your little thing ever needs anything, my little thing isn’t doin’ anything.” Cheers
Condolences to the family of Carol may be expressed online at www.ortmanfuneralhome.com
Arrangements announced by the Ortman Funeral Home in Norway.