Carol J. Lundquist

”Be brave. Even if you’re not, pretend to be. No one can tell the difference.” 

Carol Jean (Torrey) Lundquist was born January 29, 1947 in Lansing, Michigan to Alfred and Freda Torrey. She broke all of our hearts when she died February 28, 2025, surrounded by her family at her home in Minooka, Illinois.

The oldest of four children, Carol grew up in an 1880’s farmhouse in rural Oxford, Michigan. She raised rabbits for 4H, danced to The Supremes, was selected to go to Girl’s State, and graduated as a member of the National Honor Society and salutatorian of her class at Oxford High School. 

She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University, where she met the love of her life, Bob Lundquist. The couple spent most of their married life in Frankfort, Illinois, and celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary on December 16, 2024.

Carol combined her creative mind and big sister energy with passion for education, children and sports, and flourished in her career as a physical education teacher at Fernway Park Elementary School, Christa McAuliffe Elementary School and Millennium Elementary School in Tinley Park, Illinois. While teaching full time she also earned a master’s degree. She loved watching sports, primarily MLB baseball, NFL football, and track and field, and was a superfan of the football team at Lincoln-Way East High School in Frankfort.

Carol was an athlete with a decent collection of medals – a Chicago marathon finisher, Ragbrai finisher, Jazzercise enthusiast, and ran numerous 5Ks and half marathons. She taught herself to ride a unicycle and juggle (then taught her PE students), and learned how to tap dance when her oldest daughter was an infant.

Blessed with stunning beauty, Carol’s megawatt smile lit up every room she entered. She was a talented seamstress, crafter, artist and decorator with an affinity for whimsy (think Alice in Wonderland x Harry Potter). She spent many an afternoon browsing thrift store treasures. She was a bookworm, an active member of at least two book clubs, and styled her home as a literary retreat filled with books – and her handmade quilts, pillows and dolls.

Carol was everyone’s biggest cheerleader and an avid spectator at her granddaughters’ softball games and dance competitions. She reveled in her role as a mother and grandmother. In retirement, she and Bob tricked out their home with a specially-decorated bedroom for granddaughter sleepovers, a craft room for painting, sewing and creating, filled the yard with toys and tree houses and the garage with bikes, scooters and go-carts. Carol loved daydreaming, pretending and playing with her kids and grandchildren.

It’s accurate to describe Carol as up for anything, whether it was a nature hike, a broadway show, a trip to a city she’d never seen, or a flea market excursion. She enjoyed long bike rides with her daughters when they were young (frequently biking to the Frankfort Public Library) and family walks in the forest preserve. She looked forward to dressing up for Halloween with her grandchildren and adored a party, especially if she was hosting.

She made life an adventure and traveled the world, visiting Stonehenge and London, France, the Terracotta Warriors in Xian, China, Machu Picchu in Peru, Athabasca glacier, Anasasi ruins in the American southwest and the Cayman Islands, among other places. She went on an archeology dig with her sister, Alice. She gladly took on the role of Chief Amusement Officer for her family and organized action-packed trips to places like Glacier National Park, San Antonio, Washington D.C. and New Orleans. 

She biked in Switzerland, Hawaii, Vermont, Oregon and Michigan and rode a bike atop the City Wall in Xian, China.

Carol lived by unshakable faith and was an exceptional ambassador for God’s love. She was gentle with people’s hearts, and offered others unconditional acceptance, respect and friendship. A firm believer in the power of positive thinking, Carol frequently encouraged others to try hard things, take risks, start the project, learn from failures, never give up and be brave, urgings she posted on artwork throughout her home and wrote in little notes to her family and friends.

No matter what you did, whether you succeeded, failed miserably or were too scared to try, Carol was immensely comforting and proud of you and showed it with a warm hug. Now Carol’s beautiful soul has received the same welcome to her eternal home: A warm, loving, proud hug from her savior Jesus Christ.

Carol is survived by her doting husband; daughters Janet (Joseph) Hosey and Amy (Derek) Manning; granddaughters Grace, Violet, Elyse and Sydney; sisters Alice (Peter) Greko and Mary (Dan) McGrew; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Fred Torrey.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Carol’s memory may be made to the Three Rivers Public Library District in Channahon, Illinois.