Carol McPherson

Carol Rae McPherson, 77, of Traverse City, passed away April 9, 2014, at Munson Medical Center, with her loving family at her side. Carol was born February 9, 1937, in Yuma, Michigan to Ernest and Blanche (Voorheis) Paul. The family lived in Pompeii, Ithaca, Ashley, and Elsie before moving to Charlevoix in 1946. Carol graduated from Charlevoix High School in 1954 and attended Central Michigan University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Education. She loved children and taught school for forty years, the last 32 of which were at Central Grade School in Traverse City. She retired from teaching in 1997. On June 28, 1958, she married Arnold L. McPherson of Eastport at the First Congregational Church in Charlevoix, the Reverend Harold E. Kohn officiating. They had 49 wonderful years together. In addition to teaching, Carol especially liked traveling and camping. She was in all of the continental United States, plus Canada and Mexico. Her favorite hobby was collecting picture post cards from the places she visited from which she had a collection of more than 3500 cards, many of which she used in her teaching of social studies. She also liked photography, camping and bowling. Growing up on Lake Charlevoix she enjoyed swimming, canoeing, water skiing, and ice skating. But most of all she loved her family. Carol was active in both Girls Scouts and Boy Scouts as her children were growing up. She was a Girl Scout leader, a Den Mother, Boy Scout Committee member, Treasurer and Recording Secretary of the Music Boosters of the Traverse City Public Schools and was in charge of the Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser of ticket sales and raffle prizes for football for many years. She was a member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church of Traverse City, a member of the M.E.A, the N.E.A, and the Michigan Association of Retired School Personnel. She is survived by five children: Terri Campbell (Mark) Smith of Traverse City; Brian (Teresa) McPherson of Novi; Craig (Mary Ann) McPherson of St. Louis; Kevin (Janelle) McPherson of Traverse City; and Chad (Teresa) McPherson of Fisherville, Kentucky; ten grandchildren: Tamara, Rachel, Matthew, Stephanie, Danielle, Jennifer, Ashley, Justin, Lance, and Graham Patrick; and three great-grandchildren: Logan, Colton, and Caleb, sister Cora Falls of Dike, Texas; brother Jack (Pat) Paul of Albion; two brothers-in-law; Thomas Weir of Traverse City and Jerry Dawson of Eastport; one sister-in-law Donna (Cass) Russell of Charlevoix; and three nieces who all live in Traverse City: Dr. Sherry Weir, Debbie Westphal, and Wendy Lang, plus many other nieces and nephews, cousins, and friends by whom she will be greatly missed. Carol was preceded in death by her parents; husband Arnold; brother Jerry; sisters Lois, Connie, and Joyce; brother-in-law Merrill Brown; niece Penny, and nephew Robert. Private family services will be held. Interment will be in Lakeview Cemetery, Eastport, MI. Memorial donations in her memory can be made to one’s choice. Arrangements have been handled by the Central Lake Chapel of Mortensen Funeral Homes. Please sign her online guestbook www.mortensenfuneralhomes.com.