In Loving Memory of Carol Voeks

By Barb Hannan

 Survived by:

Loving husband:  Ed
Children:  Jim Blum and Barb (John) Hannan, Michele (Joe) Arbir, and Edward Jr.
Grandchildren:  Tyler, Meagan, Trevor, Sammi, Mari, and Maggi
Great grandchildren:  Aly and Matthew
Brothers:  Erv (Phyllis) Morrenzin and Rich (Shirley)Morrenzin
Sister:  Shirley Morrenzin

At first Carol was told she had Stage 3 Ovarian Cancer, two days after her surgery we found out it was Stage 4 colon cancer. Carol found out on June 5, 2013 that she had cancer and passed away on July 21, 2013.

Carol went into Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, IL to have her surgery.  She walked into that hospital and never walked out.  We believe she received the best care possible, however the cancer was so far gone she was unable to fight it.

Not only was Carol my mother but she was my best friend.  Rarely did a day go by that we did not talk on the phone a couple times a day.  She loved her family and was always there for us.

Carol was a social butterfly, loved life and made friends wherever she went.  She was the happiest when she was traveling the world with her love of her life, Ed. They would go on cruises and she would strike up new friendships with strangers from other places.  I don’t think she ever went anywhere without making a new friend.  She was bubbly and outgoing and everyone loved her and that was evident by the amount of people who came to her service to say goodbye. She was loved very much and will be missed deeply.

When my brother and I were younger Carol was a stay at home mom.  It was nice to come everyday from school and know she was there.  She was involved when we were in school and was room mother for both of us.  She always made the holiday parties fun!   As we got older she became the village water meter reader and did that for years.  She enjoyed walking around and talking to the people she became to know over the years.  She moved on from there and became a secretary and worked in downtown Chicago for a few years before that company moved to the suburbs which she liked so she can be closer to home.  From there she moved up to sales with another company and stayed there until she got laid off due to the bad economy.  Carol then became happily retired!

Carol loved her family and friends.  She was happy to finally be considered retired and able to be free and available for her family and friends.  She loved spending time with her kids, grandkids and great grandkids, and she liked to brag about them.  She was very proud of her family.  She loved traveling and always looked forward to her next adventure.   Carol loved bowling and was on two bowling leagues.  She loved to shop and loved the holidays and going to craft fairs looking for new cute things to decorate her house with.  She also loved her IPhone and the games she played on it!

Carol was special to me because not only was she my mother, but she was my best friend.  No matter what she was always there for me, whether it was advice, to vent or a shoulder to cry on my mom was always there.  She taught me what unconditional love is, that your heart is your family and to never have any regrets.  Live life and enjoy it, you only live once and you never want to look back and say I wish I would have..

I miss our talks, our weekly outings to breakfast and shopping. I miss just knowing I could just pick up the phone and call her.

Never ignore your body, listen to it. Carol always thought she did that and was very proactive with her health.  She was not afraid to go to the doctor and say ‘hey this don’t feel right’.  She got her first colonoscopy about eight years ago and thought she was taking every precaution to stay healthy, she wasn’t due for another one for two years, maybe 10 years is too long in between for this test.  If something don’t seem right stand up for yourself, its your body and your life.  Don’t take it for granted.

Carol was taken from us way to early, she still had a full life she was looking forward to living. She always felt that the best years were yet to come and she was ready to see the world.  I believe that she had no regrets and did everything she wanted before she was taken away.   We will never forget her, there will never be a day that we don’t think of her and we all hope that we carry on her legacy and make her proud.