Carol Marie Winters

Carol Marie Winters, age 97, passed away peacefully on October 13, 2025, in Adrian, Michigan, with family by her side.  Carol was born on March 22, 1928, to the late Richard Peter and Mary Elizabeth (Hyder) Suydam in Adrian, Michigan, and was raised with her brothers, Edward and Bruce, and older sister, Betty. Her father passed away when she was only five; watching her mother go off to work every day and leaning on her older siblings shaped a lifetime of hard work, frugality, and love for her family. Her sister was her best friend and the person she looked up to most. Carol married her husband, Doug, on May 24, 1947, both barely 19. They were happily married for 74 years. Together, they raised five sons (Bruce, Mark, Kevin, Paul, and Aaron) in Ann Arbor. Carol would readily admit that raising five boys was hard work – she was known to shoo the rowdy boys out of the home and lock the door behind them – but there was no doubt they were her pride and joy.  When the boys were young, they would pile into the car for a far away family vacation to camp at Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes. Later in life, she and Doug would travel more extensively, to the Great Smoky Mountains or for a winter break in sunny Florida. They prided themselves on an active lifestyle, riding bikes long into their 80s and taking daily walks until the very end.  Carol also took great pleasure in immersing herself in a good book. She loved mysteries, but truly any story would do. She frequented the Loving Branch Library so often that they offered her a job as a Library Assistant, which she held for decades. She reveled in knowing the latest novels published and often read a few pages while covering or reshelving the books.  While her husband, Doug, was a man of few words, Carol would readily fill the silence with chatter. Her happy place was a big family gathering, where she could remind everyone that she was done cooking for a crowd but not to “rush away.” Everyone knew that if you brought a chocolate treat for Doug, you also needed a second, non-chocolate treat for Carol.  No occasion – birthday, holiday, or Sunday afternoon – was too small for togetherness. Her family cherished those moments, as well as quiet visits on the front porch swing, always with a cup of coffee and a sweet treat. She had a real fondness for puzzles, lemon candies, and chatting on the phone with her sister.  Carol will be forever remembered as the family matriarch: our “big kahuna.”  She is preceded in death by her husband, Doug; her son, Paul; and her siblings, Edward, Betty, and Bruce. Carol will be missed by those who survive her: her sons, Bruce (Renee), Mark (Connie), Kevin (Margo), and Aaron (Cathy); daughter-in-law, Jane; her grandchildren, Christine (Mike) Lazarecki, Matt (Jena) Winters, Peter Winters, Rachel (Will) Plummer, Lisa (Alan) Winters, and Caleigh Winters; and seven great-grandchildren; her many extended family members, and that one favorite nephew.  Funeral Services will be held will be held on 2:00 PM Thursday, October 23, 2025 at the Purse Funeral Home, 2959 N. Adrian Hwy, Adrian, MI, with Rev. William VanValkenberg officiating.  Burial will follow in Oakwood Cemetery.  Viewing and Visitation will also be on Thurdsay from 12:00 PM until the time of service at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Hospice of Lenawee: https://www.hospiceoflenawee.org/donate.php or the Kalamazoo Humane Society: www.kazoohumane.org/donate. To share a memory of Carol or send a condolence to her family, please
visit pursefuneralhome.com.

To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Carol Marie Winters, please visit our Tree Store.