Carol Jane Lucas
Carol Jane Lucas, 78, formerly of Cadott, died Friday, Jan. 5, 2024, in Neenah.
Carol was born Oct. 9, 1945, the third daughter of Margaret Victoria Jackson Lucas and Andrew Stephen Lucas, of Cadott.
Sisters Barbara and Mary Ellen, were two and four years older, respectively. A brother, Andrew, died shortly after his birth, in 1943.
Enjoying the security and freedom provided by the small town of Cadott, Carol spent her childhood skating, biking, swimming and exploring along the Yellow River.
She attended St. Joseph Catholic Grade School and Cadott High School, and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, in 1968.
Carol married in 1968, and her son, Aaron, was born in 1971.
She worked as a county social worker in Buffalo County, for two years, before moving with her husband to Minneapolis, Minn., then Fergus Falls, Minn. Returning to Wisconsin in 1974, with her family, she accepted an office position with Pine Crest Nursing Home in Merrill, then, two years later, she transferred to a job she loved, the social worker position at the same 180-bed skilled nursing facility.
After 15 years, she took a department head position as administrative assistant, a position she retained until 2003, when she retired.
The next 10 years, after retirement, were pleasantly spent traveling with friends, volunteering, and spending time with friends and family.
Carol loved traveling, and had the opportunity to travel internationally and domestically. Her most memorable trip was to China, and the most enjoyable were Scotland and Ireland.
She loved visiting Canada, especially sailing the coast and inlets off British Columbia, in a 50-foot ketch, a paddle wheel boat trip up the Columbia River, an excursion to Churchill, Manitoba, to view polar bears along Hudson Bay, and a trip to the Maritime Provinces of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Labrador.
Carol returned to Cadott, in 2012, to spend more time with her father, sisters and old friends. She purchased a house and enjoyed the years of remodeling, landscaping and redecorating.
She became a member of the Cadott Area Historical Society and worked on a project researching the history of Cadott’s business district, and was a member of the newsletter committee, helping write the annual publication. Working with the society was a great pleasure, because she relished digging through old newspapers, town tax and meeting records, resources through the State Historical Society and searching old census, cemetery records and other online resources.
Carol considered her son, Aaron Springborn, her greatest accomplishment and from his birth, was proud of him and the way he lived his life. Her daughter-in law, Kerri, became a good friend and Carol greatly enjoyed her company, and appreciated that she is a loving and supportive spouse to her son.
Her sisters were her best friends, and Carol knew that her life would have been much less enjoyable without the laughter and adventures they shared. Carol’s brothers-inlaw, nephew and three nieces, were an important part of her life and she always felt that their shared sense of humor was a real blessing.
After returning to Cadott, Carol reconnected with old friends and cousins, on the Jackson and Lucas sides, and for this, she was grateful. Carol found great joy in taking care of her adopted feline family members – Zoey, Fox, Bitsy and Pumpkin.
Carol moved to Neenah, in 2022, to be closer to her son. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law – Aaron and Kerri, Hortonville; sister – Barbara Dressler (Eugene), Cadott; nieces; nephews; and grand-niece and grand-nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; brother – Andrew; sister – Mary Ellen Fisher; grandparents; aunts; uncles and cousins.
A memorial service will be held at Leiser Funeral Home in Cadott, at 11 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 27, with visitation an hour before the service. A celebration of life will follow at Whispering Pines Golf Course in Cadott.
Interment at the St. Rose Cemetery in Cadott, will take place at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Cadott Area Historical Society or your local humane society.
