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Carolyn Wallace Carolyn Wallace Carolyn Wallace Carolyn Wallace
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Obituary for Carolyn Wallace

Carolyn  Wallace
Carolyn Joan (Appelt) Wallace passed into the loving arms of her Lord and Savior on August 8, 2016. Carolyn endured a courageous battle with cancer that began in December. On June 25, 1950, Carolyn was born in Missoula, Montana to Henry and Alma Appelt. Carolyn attended Whittier and Cold Springs Grade Schools and graduated from Sentinel High School. Carolyn attended Northwest Nazarene College, Whitworth College and Central Washington University, earning a Master’s Degree in Counseling and Psychology. Until her retirement in January, Carolyn was well respected in the field of Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling. Carolyn is survived by her husband, Rick; sons, Jerod, Dennis, and Derrick of Tacoma; sister, Barbara (Phil) Blum of Gig Harbor; brother Wesley (Susan) Appelt of Missoula, Montana; step-daughter Megan Sanders of Olympia; and many extended family members and friends that loved her dearly for her spirited personality and servant’s heart. Carolyn is preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Alma Appelt; her loving step-mother, Helen Appelt; and brothers, James (Maureen) and David. Carolyn was an avid Mariners fan and loved her Russell Terrier, Griffey. She also loved her family and friends, and made every birthday and holiday a celebration. But most of all, she loved her boys, and was very proud of the men that they have become. Carolyn will be missed dearly, but we know that the memories we have, along with her love that transcends Heaven, will bring us comfort until we can hug her again. We will be celebrating Carolyn’s life on August 19, 2016, at 11:00am, at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 1315 N. Stevens St, Tacoma, WA 98406. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in her honor to Seattle Children’s Hospital at https://giveto.seattlechildrens.org/changealife.

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Life Story for Carolyn Wallace

CAROLYN JOAN WALLACE
Carolyn Joan Wallace was born on June 25, 1950 in Missoula, Montana to Henry and Alma Appelt. She was the youngest of five Appelt children, which included Barbara, James, David and Wesley. At the age of seven, Carolyn’s mother passed away. For the next two years, and with a lot of help from Barbara, Henry did his best to raise his children as a single father. In 1959, Henry married the children’s Sunday school teacher, Helen Phelps, who took over the mothering responsibilities for Wesley and Carolyn. Carolyn attended Whittier and Cold Springs Elementary, and graduated from Sentinel High School in 1968.
Carolyn moved to Nampa, ID and attended Northwest Nazarene College from 1968 to 1970. In 1970 she married Glen Mowry. During their marriage they moved around a bit, living in Spokane, Kansas City and Yakima. Carolyn was dedicated to getting her college education, and she earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Whitworth College, and a Master’s Degree in Counseling and Psychology from Central Washington University. They settled in Spokane, where Carolyn started her lifelong career in helping people through counseling. Due to irreconcilable differences, her marriage to Glen ended in 1978.
In 1979, Carolyn married Mike Huntington and lived in Lacey, WA. The first of the three greatest events of Carolyn’s life occurred May 27, 1980, when Jerod Michael was born. Nineteen months later, the second of the three greatest events of Carolyn’s life occurred January 4, 1982, when Dennis Nathan was born. They moved to Lodi, CA for a few years, and then returned to Olympia, WA. During this time, Carolyn started her career in Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling at the Thurston County Economic Development Council, and then with Cascade Rehabilitation. Due to irreconcilable differences, her marriage to Mike ended in 1987.
On June 17, 1989, a brand new adventure started when Carolyn met Rick Wallace in Leavenworth, WA. Surrounded by family and friends, and with Jerod, Dennis and Megan standing up with them, Carolyn and Rick were married on October 14, 1989 at their home in Tacoma.
The third of the three greatest events of Carolyn’s life occurred March 23, 1994, when Derrick Charles Appelt was born. Carolyn worked as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor for Carl Gann from 1991 until her retirement in January of this year. Over the years, Carolyn had attended several churches in Tacoma, until recently finding her church home here at Emmanuel Lutheran Church.
Carolyn had several passions and hobbies. She started playing the piano at the age of seven, and just a few weeks ago sat down at her piano and filled her home with the beautiful melody of “Great is Thy Faithfulness”. When Derrick left for college, she decided to play the cello, and took lessons at the University of Puget Sound. Carolyn was an avid Mariners fan, and went to several games every year. She also travelled a few times to see the Mariners in San Diego and Spring Training with her baseball partner in crime, Jan Stirling.
Carolyn belonged to two neighborhood women’s groups: the “Oyster Queens” and the “Cacklers”, and she was an honorary member of a quilting group. For 26 years Carolyn and Rick enjoyed the great meals and company of their friends in their Gourmet Group, which also included cruises to Mexico and the Caribbean.
Carolyn also loved decorating her home, her most recent draw to the safari theme resulted in leopard and zebra print carpeting. She loved the colors purple and red, decorating the living room in purple, and the dining room in red. Anyone visiting during Christmas will remember the Christmas tree sitting directly between the two rooms, one half decorated in purple, one half decorated in red.
She loved celebrations. Birthdays, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas. Lots of food, lots of laughter, lots of games after dessert, and lots of love.
Carolyn also loved her Russel Terrier, Griffey. He was her protector. Anyone who visited was warned not to get too close to Carolyn until Griffey approved.
Carolyn enjoyed spending time with her family, and was blessed when her sister Barbara, and husband Phil, moved to Gig Harbor in 2005. And also in 2010, when her brother Jim, and wife Maureen, moved from Missoula to Tacoma.
Carolyn’s favorite trips were the several visits to Lewistown, MT to see her parents; our first family trip to Yellowstone with Jerod, Dennis and Megan; a spring break trip to New Mexico; the surprise trip to spring training in 2013; and cruises with friends to Western Mexico, and the Caribbean. One of her favorite cruise visits was to Grand Turk, where she fell in love with the feral donkeys that had escaped from the salt mines.
One of Carolyn’s refrigerator magnets says ”I love not camping”. But she was a good sport about camping, because it meant focused time with family and friends. Carolyn enjoyed camping trips to Joemma Beach State Park; Wallowa State Park in Joseph, Oregon; the annual Wallace Family Campouts, several years of camping with the Goodey family, and camping trips with Megan’s children, Kylie, Jayson and Lily.
Carolyn had a servant’s heart. She was always willing to provide a helping hand or meal to family and friends in need. In 1996, her mom, Helen, moved from Montana to Tacoma. For nine years Carolyn supported her mom with weekly trips to Fred Meyer and the Bon Marche.
Carolyn was a great cook. In addition to her favorite dinner dish that she called “Frickin’ Chickin”, she made an awesome apple pie, and unbelievable biscuits and gravy.
But most of all, Carolyn loved her sons. She was very proud of the men that they had become.
She loved how Jerod had followed his heart and lived his passion for music, playing in several bands and building guitars for a living. She was proud of his strong work ethic, and his willingness to help anyone at any time. She loved his honesty, loyalty, compassion and love for our family, how he loves to play card games, and his jovial demeanor and infectious laugh. She was grateful of his love for his “dog-brother” Griffey, and how he was always willing to stay with him when we were gone. The beautiful job he did remodeling the downstairs bathroom and creating an awesome Hawaiian beach theme made her very happy. Your mom loves you dearly, Jerod.
She loved Dennis’ tender heart, free spirit, courage and strength. She loved how, as a boy after being sent to his room, he would come down stairs with a heartfelt apology, and was sincerely sorry for whatever had occurred. And while she missed him dearly, she was glad that he had the opportunity to hop on a plane with his duffle bag for an 18 month stay in Hawaii. She was proud of his perseverance, to never give up on his college dream, and for his graduation from the University of Washington. And recently, for his commitment to his new career. There was no doubt in your mom’s mind that you will be successful in whatever you pursue. But most of all, she was proud of you for having the courage and strength to tackle life’s challenges. To recognize your potential, to figure out what you needed to change to achieve your potential, and then go after it. Dennis, your mom loves you dearly.
She loved Derrick’s confidence and courage, and that he is a momma’s boy. She loved making you chocolate chip pancakes, and driving you to school for all thirteen years. She loved the courage that you showed in getting through your greatest life challenge when you were a junior in High School. As a side note, she is grateful for the friends that circled around you, and carried you through that dark time. She loved that you had the courage to leave home to go to WSU, and especially that you had the courage to return to WSU in January after learning that she was sick. She is proud of you for your growth and maturity over the last eight months, and for your dependency on God for your strength and courage during her illness, and now while we grieve. Your mom knows that you have a lot to offer this world, and that there are great things in store for you, and she encourages you to go get it done. Derrick, your mom loves you dearly.
Carolyn’s faith, hope and trust in God is an inspiration. During her courageous and hard fought battle with cancer, Carolyn demonstrated what it means to be a person of faith. From the very start, she put her hope and trust in God, and knew that He was in control. Her faith in God never wavered, and she was never angry about her illness. In the few weeks preceding her passing, she talked of Heaven, and how it was a perfect place. Pondering the next part of her journey, she said “Can you imagine opening your eyes and seeing Jesus?”
With family members by her side, Carolyn passed away peacefully at her home on August 8, 2016.
Carolyn leaves us with great memories, and filled with the love that she so freely gave. While we miss Carolyn so very much, we know that she is in the presence of her Lord and Savior, and she no longer has to imagine what it would be like to open her eyes and see Jesus.

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