Carol Tomasina KNOPE

KNOPE, Carol Tomasina A resident of Sonoma, passed away February 20, 2016 after suffering a massive stroke. This, after having battled the effects of a previous stroke in 2013. Carol was 82 and had resided in Sonoma for the past 18 1/2 years. She was a member of the First Congregational Church of Sonoma and an active participant in the Village Green Apartments II clubhouse activities. Carol was preceded in death by her year younger sister, Joyce in 1962; her mother, Margaret in 1981; and her adoptive father, Verne in 1994. She is survived by her brother, Michael of Petaluma; sister, Patricia of Reno Nevada; nieces, Susan, Vicki Lynn, Tracy, Wendi; and nephews, David, George, Matthew and Edwin; and several cousins in the Bay area. Born in San Francisco, Carol certainly led a varied and colorful life. Leaving home at age 16, without her parents knowledge, she moved to Chicago and after several years became a successful fashion model. The journey of life continued into the late 1950's moving into television as co-host of a local show with a Chicago personality, Marty Faye. That opened the door to more TV work and after moving to New York, she appeared on several shows including The Price is Right and the Jackie Gleason Show. Carol was married three times; to Gary Morton, a popular comedian and actor who later in life married Lucille Ball; to Walter Tachuck, a business executive; then to James Kimmel, a Christian Minister. Besides the East Coast, Carol also lived on the Hawaiian Island of Molakai and in Marin County on the 700 acre Olompali Ranch. Moving to Sonoma in 1994, her roots grew into the community and here she remained. A memorial of her life will take place on Saturday, March 19, 2016, at 2:00 p.m. at the First Congregational Church of Sonoma, 252 West Spain Street, Sonoma, California.