Carol Hargus Palowsky

Funeral services for Mrs. Carol H. Palowsky, 77, of Monroe, LA, will be held at 11:00AM Friday, October 17, 2025, at Bayou Baptist Church with Rev. T. J. Mitchell and Rev. Jeremiah Andrews officiating under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home Sterlington Rd., Monroe. Entombment will follow at Mulhearn Memorial Park Mausoleum. Visitation will be from 9:30AM until service time Friday, October 17, 2025, at the church.

Carol Hargus Palowsky, who was the best ever wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend, went to be with her Savior on October 14, 2025, at age 77 after a long, courageous fight with cancer, during which her husband was her devoted caretaker for over 19 months.

Carol was born on February 21, 1948, in Jena, Louisiana, to George W. Hargus, Sr., and Duline Jones Hargus Mizell. After moving to Monroe with her parents and two brothers, George and Stan, she attended Neville High School, where she graduated with honors. In June 1966, the summer before her freshman year at Northeast Louisiana University, Carol met the love of her life, Stanley R. Palowsky, Jr. They had their first date on June 6, 1966, and married on August 26, 1967. Thereafter, they welcomed three children. In addition, Carol continued with her education and obtained her Bachelor’s degree in education, with honors, as well as her Master’s degree in education.

Carol then taught second grade at Swartz Elementary until 1981, when she decided to stay at home with her children. Carol was a devoted Christian who continued to engage in her love of educating children by teaching Sunday School and the Wednesday night children’s program for many years at Ambassador Baptist Church. In addition to teaching, she also served her church by playing piano whenever it was needed. In 2015, she joined Bayou Baptist Church, where she continued to serve in any way that she could, but most prominently as the missions’ secretary. She remained a faithful member of Bayou Baptist until her passing.

Outside of church, Carol enjoyed studying the Bible and devotionals. She also loved writing inspirational devotional letters, which she sent to hundreds of people on a weekly basis for years. In addition, Carol continued her mother’s tradition of being a prolific letter-writer by writing regularly to innumerable friends, family, and missionaries throughout the world. She also had an extremely lengthy list of people who were blessed enough to receive birthday cards from her every year. Carol was a lifelong animal lover, and she always took pleasure working in her yard, putting together puzzles, and doting on her dogs (and in more recent years, cats). In her younger days, she loved making clothes for herself and her daughter and doing needlepoint. Carol loved her husband and children fiercely and would have done anything for them. Carol’s love and commitment to her family, God, and church were unmatched. In the words of her husband, “No one had a bigger heart than she did.”

Carol is preceded in death by her father, mother, stepfather, Dr. W. R. Mizell; her brother, Stanley J. Hargus of Monroe; as well as numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins, and many beloved pets.

She is survived by her husband of 58 years, Stanley; sons, Stanley R. Palowsky, III and wife, Michele, and Steven R. Palowsky and wife, Cristina White Palowsky, all of Monroe; daughter, Stacy R. Palowsky of Covington, Louisiana; grandchildren, Dr. Zachary R. Palowsky and wife, Anna, of Shreveport and Lauren Palowsky; brother, George W. Hargus, Jr., and his wife, Kathy, of Bothell, Washington; sister-in-law, Lynn J. Hargus; nieces, Nicole Hargus Rasco and husband Matthew Rasco of Monroe and Arrah Hargus Karigan and husband Brad Karigan of Ellisville, Missouri; and their children, Tyler Brown of Valley Village, California, and Christian Karigan of Ellisville, Missouri; and stepbrothers, Walter H. Mizell and his wife, Ferne, of Austin, Texas; Roderick Mizell and his wife, Kay, of Greenville, Texas; and Donald N. Mizell of Farmington, New Mexico; and stepsister-in-law, Kathy Mizell. Carol is also survived by her dogs, Ace and Earl Gray, who are already looking for her.

Pallbearers will be Mike Rutledge, David Reppond, Paul Knight, Larry Culp, Trey McLemore, Jimmy Fordham, Brock Kithingham, and Matt Shepherd. Honorary pallbearers will be Julian Johnston, Judge Sharon Ingram Marchman, Sheriff Marc Mashaw, Jay Russell, Dr. John Smiarowski, Susan Nielsen, Justice Chet Traylor, Sedric Banks, Joe Ward, Mike and Dianne Graham, John R. Calhoun, Mike and Pam Shepherd, Charlie Baxter, and Susan Fordham.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Bayou Baptist Church for the missions fund, PAWS of Northeast Louisiana, or River Cities Humane Society for Cats.