Carol Marie Bussing Covell

Carol Bussing Covell

Carol Marie Bussing Covell passed away on June 6, 2025. She was 93.

She spent her last 6 years happily at The Redwoods Senior Living Community.

Carol was born in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, where she grew up living above her family's bakery and restaurant, Olson's, a beloved local spot. She lived above the restaurant with her parents, Erma and William Olson, and her grandfather Bernt "Otto" Olson.

After attending the University of Wisconsin, Carol moved to New York City in 1952 to study at the New York School of Interior Design. She became a window decorator at Bloomingdale's flagship store. That same year, she met John Barker Bussing. They married and had two daughters, Cindy and Elizabeth, eventually relocating to the San Francisco Bay Area.

Carol later married Matt Boyle and helped raise his five children in Southern California. She lived in Laguna Beach for many years, working at the Laguna Art Museum and immersing herself in the local art scene. In 1996, she returned to San Francisco, where she lovingly cared for her former Father-in-law, Irvin Bussing, and cultivated a magical garden in Pacific Heights.

Carol loved to travel - visiting her favorite city, Venice three times. She also enjoyed trips to Egypt, India, Rome, Paris, London, Mexico, Hawaii, Thailand, and Tahiti with family and friends. She had a remarkable sense of style, a sharp wit, a deep love of animals, and a flair for entertaining. She was a devoted mother, grandmother, and stepmother, a loyal friend, and a lover of art, antiques, music, and her nightly scotch.

Despite challenges in her final months, Carol remained joyful and engaged with life.

She is survived by her daughters Cynthia Noel Bussing, Elizabeth Autumn Bussing, and her granddaughter Kenda Amber Bussing, and her extended stepfamily.

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the San Francisco SPCA