Carol Lois Lauver

Carol was raised in Spring Arbor, Michigan, the youngest of three sisters. In high school she was a member of a regional Youth for Christ singing group, where she met her husband-to-be, Doug. Carol and Doug both attended Spring Arbor College, and were married in 1976. Immediately after graduation in 1977 they left for Japan, where they taught English and volunteered with local churches for the next five years.

During that time Doug and Carol felt called to further missionary service, and began preparing to do linguistic work with Wycliffe Bible Translators. By the time they were ready to leave for Papua New Guinea, Carol was the mom of four-year-old Amy, two-year-old Daniel, and five-month-old Valerie. She somehow managed to make life normal and fun for the children whether living in the extremes of a 13-by-13-foot village hut, or the relative luxury of a 20-by-30-foot village house.

After moving back to the States and adding Naomi to the family, Carol continued to be an active, dedicated and sometimes silly mom to her four children. As Naomi was heading to high school, Carol found a true calling working as a barista at Starbucks. It was a great fit for someone who made instant friends wherever she went. Even in her last weeks in the hospital, she kept lists of the nurses, doctors and technicians who worked with her so she could call them by name and show an interest in them.

Carol was also active in the women's ministry at Christ Church, and served as a table leader at the weekly Bible study. Her faith sustained her through many challenges in life, including dealing with breast cancer over the last 13 years. She had a love for Jesus that started as a little girl and never faded. She never doubted that she would spend eternity with her Savior.

Carol is survived by her loving husband Doug, daughters Amy Hilmers and her husband Dan, Valerie Moll and her husband Remington, Naomi Robinson and her husband Tyler, grandchildren Ian and Josiah Hilmers, November Moll and Sadie Robinson, sister Elizabeth Anderson. She was preceded in death by her son Daniel Lauver, sister Virginia Elliott and parents Waldo and Ellen Anderson.

A memorial service to celebrate Carol's life will be held Thursday, January 6, 2011 at 3:00 p.m. at Christ Church Plano, 4550 Legacy Dr., Plano, Texas 75024. Carol will be laid to rest at the Columbarium at Christ Church Plano.