Violet J. "Dolly" (Billings) Carl, 75, of Kalamazoo, passed away peacefully with her family at her bedside at Bronson Methodist Hospital late Monday evening, July 2, 2018, after receiving her last rites by Father James Richardson from St. Mary's Catholic Church. Violet was born May 19, 1943, in the city of Battle Creek, Michigan, to Manley and Marguerite (Brown) Billings. Once home from the hospital, she was soon nicknamed "Dolly" by her siblings because she looked just like a baby doll. Later in life she would be called "Mima" by all of her grandchildren, great grandchildren, and their friends.
Dolly attended Battle Creek Central High School and eventually earned her diploma through the Bellevue Community Schools. She married her sweet William M. (Bill) Carl, Sr., at St. Joseph Catholic Church on October 29, 1960. Within a few years, the city girl had moved to the country with her husband and children, transitioning into the role of a farmer's wife - and quite successfully, too, since the farm was lovingly named "Green Acres" by their friends. Dolly and Bill were just starting to plan a millennial fortieth wedding anniversary party when he was the victim of a fatal car accident in 1999.
Violet took an early retirement from the Kellogg Company after working in the key-to-disk department as the lead keypunch operator for almost twenty years. Prior to being hired into Kellogg's, she was employed as a data processor by Transamerica Insurance Company and also worked for the temporary agency, Kelly Girl Service, Inc. and the Federal Center. Dolly and Bill so enjoyed their cottage life on Pretty Lake in Mecosta, and after retirement became Outdoor Resorts of America snowbirds in Melbourne Beach, Florida. Mima would have her grandkids take turns coming to visit a couple times each year to share some major fun in the sun with her!
During her lifetime, Dolly was a parish member of St. Ann Catholic Church in Bellevue and St. Philip Roman Catholic Church of Battle Creek as well as attending a variety of other Catholic churches in the area and in Florida. When her children were younger, she was not only a Camp Fire Girls of America leader but also a Boy Scouts of America Cub den mother. As a grandmother, she volunteered as a teacher's aide at Post Elementary School. She was on a bowling league with her Kellogg's coworkers, played at monthly Bunco gatherings, extensively researched her families' genealogy (& recently discovered her own DNA results), studied calligraphy, and took cake decorating classes. Dolly loved to watch Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy in her later years, but as a young teenager would run home from school to dance alongside the television with American Bandstand. Dolly possessed many skills and talents such as sewing, quilting, knitting, crocheting, cooking, baking, gardening, and canning. At one time she was an avid thrifter, attending garage sales, antique shops, flea markets, and auctions which was evident in her teapot, coin, stamp, and depression glass collections and greatly contributed to the knowledge base of all things vintage for her youngest daughter - especially regarding Barbie dolls. Although she travelled a lot across North America in her lifetime, her favorite trip by far was when she took her grandchildren to the Grand Canyon by R.V. in memory of their Papa - while her visiting Europe was a close second. Dolly thoroughly enjoyed her membership of a couple Red Hat's Society (especially as a local chapter's queen) and dining with other Kellogg retiree friends in their monthly supper club. Most of all, however, Dolly loved to spend time with her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
Dolly is survived by her two daughters, Marjorie Carl-Ochoa of Chicago and Rebecca (Victor) Lucas-Quirino of Battle Creek; daughter-in-law Doris Carl of Kalamazoo; grandchildren, Jessica (Bradley) Trompeter of Chicago, William Carl, III (& Kelsey Foxx), of Grand Rapids, Danielle (Nicholas) St. Clair of Holland, Anthony (Angela) Ochoa of Grand Rapids, Ashley (Chad) Holloway of Georgia, Mary (Jacob) Smith of Richland, Scarlett (Patrick) Barrus of Battle Creek, Emily Carl of Kalamazoo, Evangeline Carl (& fiancé Tim Beals) of Battle Creek; bonus grandchildren Victor and Khalani Lucas of Coldwater; and numerous great grandchildren, including: Jeremiah, Jerico, Addison, Maria, Elijah, Hunter, Margot, Ember, Sterling, Levi, Robin, Zoey, and Mark. Dolly is also survived by her sister-in-law, Barbara Billings of California, sister-in-law Diane Tanner of Battle Creek, and brothers-in-law James (Nancy) Carl of Nashville, R. Richard (Brenda) Carl of Alamo, and Rodney (Patricia) Carl of Battle Creek; brother-in-law's wife, Darlene Carl; and many, many nephews, nieces, and their children's children.
Besides her husband, Dolly was preceded in death by her parents; all four of her siblings - sisters Marilyn Dockum and Doreen Griffin, and brothers Manley "Bud," and Donald Billings; her father- and mother-in-law, Thomas L. and Pauline Carl; her brothers-in-law, Thomas N. and Donald Carl; and a brother-in-law Michael Brandt; and her two sons, Dean A. Carl and William M. Carl, Jr. Being present with her Savior, Jesus Christ, and reunited with her husband and sons in heaven are surely the greatest joys that she has ever experienced.
Visitation for family and friends will be Sunday, July 8, from 3:00p.m to 5:30p.m. at Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Home & Cremation Care of Battle Creek with the Rosary following visitation at 5:30p.m. A Funeral Mass to celebrate Dolly's life will begin at 11:00a.m. Monday, July 9, at St. Philip Roman Catholic Church. At 2:30p.m., interment next to her beloved husband will take place at Hillside Cemetery, Kalamo Township, Eaton County, Michigan. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the American Heart (AHA) or Diabetes Associations (ADA). Personal messages for the family may be placed at www.farleyestesdowdle.com. To raise awareness of women's heart health, please feel free to wear red to the visitation and/or funeral in memory of Violet.
A very special, heartfelt thank you to the staff at New Friends Assisted Living, the police and emergency medical crew, BMH's Emergency Department, Medical Intensive Care Unit, Social Workers, and Chaplin Services for their expertise and family-centered care.