Carol Sue Bowman

Carol Sue Bowman, born in August 1946, passed away on January 6, 2025, after a brief yet valiant battle with illness. A trailblazer for professional women, Carol's diverse career included roles as a waitress, one of the first female officers in metro Detroit, and over 30 years as the Director of Probation at the 34th District Court in Michigan to name a few. She also served as a drug and alcohol abuse counselor, dedicating herself to helping others live substance free.

In retirement, Carol shared her time with organizations such as The New Zoo, El Paso Texas where she enjoyed filing, typing and organizing the maintenance area and a dedicated cat rescue in the same town where she loved many kitties and rescued a few senior cats to live out their days surrounded with love. Her greatest joy was always her daughter/best friend, Dani (Danielle Suzanne), and her grandchildren, Austin Robert and Karissa Anne, where she resided in various states to be close to them. Preceded in death by her best friend and ex-husband, Robert Parke, she is survived by her wonderful, loving brother, Joe (Karen) Sizemore, and her dear friend, Jody (Mark) Baily, who originally met as neighbors in Texas.

Carol's generous spirit touched many and she was loved beyond words by many, including Melissa, Melinda, the staff at Birds Unlimited Woodstock, the team at Woodstock Veterinary Hospital, the wonderful Dr. Angela Crowell and the team at American Family care, Dr. Salvatore Chillemi and many friends turned into family like Brandy, Dalilah, Lynda, and Jay. Her love extended to animals such as deer, birds, raccoons, feral cats, and her cherished pets, Pandora, Persephone, and Aphrodite.

Known for her creativity, kindness, and thoughtfulness, Carol often surprised others with random acts of generosity, such as delivering gifts on a random Tuesday to her veterinary team who cared for her own pets like their own. Her quick wit, sound advice, and high expectations inspired those around her, leaving an indelible mark on all who knew her. She was quick on her feet, and you could always find yourself laughing when you spent more than a minute with her. Don’t be fooled, many times it was a groaning laugh though it was laughter just the same. 

She had high expectations, and she delivered to you ten-fold if you were one of the lucky people to have crossed her path. For those that knew her, may you smile knowing how very much you meant to her. The world has lost one of its finest, and even a million years with Carol would not have been enough. May those who knew her find comfort in her memory, strive to be the strong cheerleader she was, and prioritize others as she did.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to The Way Woodstock at, https://thewaywoodstock.churchcenter.com/giving/to/single-moms-gas-give-away-in-memory-of-carol-bowman to support the single moms gas giveaway program, or at 

https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/1R9DJKTMCWL0F or https://www.chewy.com/g/happy-tears-feline-foundation_b118728262   to support an amazing small non-profit that helped Carol in many ways when she was caring for feral cats on her property in her honor.

Per Carol’s wishes, there will not be a formal service. There will be celebrations of life services for friends and family soon, in various cities that she lived and made meaningful connections. These small gatherings will be organized by her beloved daughter and will be full of smiles, happiness and love. Please hug your loved ones in Carol’s memory because time spent together is never wasted.