Carol A. Redmond, 96, passed peacefully on Friday, May 27, 2022, in her home in Carbondale, Ill.
Lovingly known as “Moosie” to family and friends, Carol was born in Chicago, Jan. 23, 1926, to Raymond and Aletta (Albrecht) Laufenburger.
Highly intelligent, thoughtful, kind, funny, she was well-liked by all who were lucky enough to surround her. Carol was raised during The Depression and graduated early from Lake View High School as a 16-year-old honors student. Shortly after, she immediately went to work in support of her family.
As a youngster, Carol met James Redmond on summer trips to Lake Como, Wisc. After returning home from WWII and receiving his college degree, Jim and Carol married on April 23, 1949. The newlyweds then moved from Chicago to Des Plaines and together they raised five children and happily enjoyed over 61 years of marriage. Once the kids were grown, Carol returned to work, serving as an assistant to the principal at Chippewa Junior High School in Des Plaines.
In retirement, Carol and Jim enjoyed more than 25 years of golf, travel, and entertaining friends and family at their Eureka Springs home on Holiday Island in Arkansas. They experienced all the world had to offer in their global travels; taking numerous trips to sightsee, visit family, and soak-in the cultures of others.
In 2010 they moved to Carbondale, Ill., where in her early nineties, Carol continued to enjoy the game of golf, playing bridge, and forging new friendships with people of all ages.
Carol was a lifelong learner, with an insatiable intellectual curiosity. She was a force to be reckoned with when it came to Scrabble, Bridge & Pinochle. She was known to devour several books per week and quenched her thirst for knowledge by feasting on crossword puzzles and engaging in countless episodes of Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. Her additional passions included swimming, gardening, and entertaining loved ones. Carol and Jim’s New Year’s Eve parties in Des Plaines were known to be legendary.
Carol is survived by her children, Tom (Mary O’Hara) of Carbondale, Ill., Michael (Connie) of Estacada, Ore., Patricia Karlberg (Paul) of Maidsville, W.Va., Raymond (Eileen) of Lighthouse Point, Fla., and James (Leslie) of Mount Prospect, Ill.; grandchildren Shawn (Eck), Aaron, Drew (Alicia), Rachel, Ellyce, Jaime, Carly, Maxwell and James III; great-grandchildren, Erika, Sophie, Nathalie, Cameron, Jaden, Sienna, and Ryder; and her loving niece Darlene (Farlow), nephews George and Steve (Coutre), and Mark and Kevin (Redmond).
She was preceded in death by her husband James, her parents, and her sister, Shirley (Coutre).
The family would like to extend their love and appreciation to family, friends, and Hospice of Southern Illinois for their grace, kindness, and care.
The family will have a private memorial. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Boys & Girls Club of Southern Illinois and Hospice of Southern Illinois, Inc.