Carol Lynn Sloan

Carol Lynn (Bretthauer) Sloan, 90, of rural Stryker passed away at Maple Ridge Farm in Hudson, Michigan, Nov. 5. She was born Feb. 22, 1934, to the late G. Glen and Lena (Hawkins) Bretthauer of rural West Unity. In 1954, Carol married Vernon Clark Sloan, whom she met at a 5-H dance in Bryan. He preceded her in death in 2017. Their marriage was a true partnership not only on the farm, but in the many non-profit, religious and civic organizations they were involved in.

Carol lived a remarkable life filled with a variety of interests and a deep love for the domestic arts, in which she excelled. Carol graduated from West Unity High School a year early where she was the class salutatorian and then graduated from International Business College in Fort Wayne where she studied secretarial skills. She took a position as secretary for the Williams County Extension Office, which launched a lifelong interest and commitment to 4-H and the teaching of practical life skills.

When Vernon and Carol started their family, she focused her time and energy on raising their six children, Dr. Rebecca (Judd) McClarren of Pettisville, Julia (Oleg Smirnoff) of New York City, Diana Sloan-Basner (Ralph) of Palmer, Arkansas, Marcia (Bob) Latta of Bowling Green, Scott (April) of rural Stryker and Lisa of Westerville, all of whom survive her. She also had 10 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. A brother, Maurice Bretthauer, and an infant great-grandson predeceased her.

Carol was an active farming partner to Vernon on the family farm, working with the livestock and in the fields. For many years she led the efforts for the family's summer produce stand as a way to help her children save funds for college. She was a longtime 4-H advisor, and found much meaning in teaching the club members how to sew, cook, garden and participate in community service projects. At one point, the club had more than 70 members, who frequently won awards at the county and state levels.

Carol was exceptional on multiple fronts, including as a pianist. As a teen she worked at a lake guest house providing evening musical entertainment by singing and playing piano. She also spent decades as the Stryker United Methodist Church pianist and organist and played piano for special community functions as well. She was an exceptional seamstress and through the years she made numerous Williams County majorette and cheerleading uniforms, wedding dresses and other highly skilled attire.

After her children were raised, Carol enrolled in a few courses to learn computer basics at Northwest State Community College and took a position in data entry at the daily Bryan Times. Before long, she was writing a weekly farm wife column, and ultimately served many years as the farm editor and the copy editor for the daily paper. She loved her role as a journalist, photographer and columnist, where she regaled readers with sometimes humorous, sometimes poignant, stories of life on the farm.

Carol also shared many of her best recipes in a cookbook she co-authored with her dear friend and neighbor Evelyn Rosebrock.

Serving others in need was something Carol and Vernon believed strongly in, both locally, and internationally. Together they worked to organize efforts among area churches and farmers to deliver high-lysine corn to hurricane survivors in Honduras following Hurricane Mitch in 1998, and then to people in need in Haiti, Angola and Liberia. Their initial efforts became the basis for co-founding Foods Resource Bank, which now operates as Growing Hope Globally, a Christian-based response to address hunger through sustainable agriculture. It now operates in over 30 countries around the world and has impacted more than 2 million people. Carol visited many of the countries to help teach agricultural and gardening skills and enjoyed hosting several young farmers from these countries at the Sloan farm during planting and harvesting seasons to teach crop production techniques. She loved learning about their cultures and traditions.

Among Carol's other activities through the years, she served as president of the Stryker High School Music Boosters, Stryker PTO, was a volunteer for United Way, Farm Bureau, co-founding member of the Williams County Pork Producers and president of the United Methodist Women's Club among many others.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 11, at Stryker United Methodist Church. Burial will be private at the Evansport Cemetery.

Visitation will be Sunday, Nov. 10, from 3-6 p.m. at the church.

Edgar-Grisier Funeral Home is entrusted with arrangements.

The family requests that any memorial gifts of tribute be given in Carol's memory to Growing Hope Globally, the Williams County 4-H Endowment Fund or Stryker United Methodist Church.

The family is most grateful to the care providers who assisted Carol in her final years, in particular the staff of the Maple Ridge Farm Assisted Living.

The obituary for Carol was lovingly prepared by her family.