Carol Bourne

Carol Ann Bourne, 89, died April 28, 2025, in Stoughton, WI following a lengthy and progressive onset of dementia.

Carol (Hodge) Bourne was born on November 11, 1935, in, Michigan to Frederick Hodge and Verna Hodge. Her childhood was spent in the Allegan State Forest where her father was a forester for the State of Michigan Department of Natural Resources. A little-known fact was this involved overseeing German prisoners from WWII planting tree seedlings in a reforestation effect and project to stop sand from Lake Michigan blowing inland. One of her fondest memories growing up was summer trips to the family farm in Pinconning, Michigan, as she particularly adored her maternal Grandfather Paul Dahlke.   Later in life she would make a miniature replica of the kitchen when included a hand water pump at the sink.  There was otherwise no indoor plumbing, just an outhouse with three holes of different sizes.  To bathe they had a water tank the size of a small bath tub and would boil water so it was wasn't cold.

Her family moved to East Lansing, where Michigan State University (MSU) is located.  In grade school and high school she played the clarinet and for the marching band she was the baton twirler majorette. She and her siblings, older brother Fred and younger sister Sue, would attend and graduate from MSU, except for Sue, who transferred to University of Michigan at Ann Arbor to finish her nursing degree there.    Her father took a job at the Capital and eventually retired after working for the State for 44 years.   Her mother was a home maker but then became the municipal Clerk of Courts for East Lansing for 17 years.

Carol graduated MSU with degrees in Home Economics and Retail Merchandising.   She was proud to enroll in the highly regarded training program at Rike's Department Store in Dayton, Ohio, and worked there for several years.   She enjoyed great success and relished the annual fashion buying trip to New York City.   She had a passion for clothing design and even sewed many of her on clothes on her Singer sewing machine.  Any child whose mother was into sewing was certainly warned fabric scissors are only for fabric.  She also for a time owned and drove a 1957 Chevy convertible.

Her younger sister Sue introduced her to a Urology Resident at University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Dr. Richard B. Bourne.   That led to marriage and the two moving to his hometown, Milwaukee, WI, to buy a home and start a family.  They decided on Whitefish Bay, where they lived for over 35 years.   Carol was a homemaker, but very involved socially and charitably with the Wisconsin Woman's Club, Junior Achievement, and supporting the Great Circus Parade in particular.  She was the perfect hostess and put great pride and work into well planned formal occasions, but it at home in the formal dining room, or at clubs such as the University Club or Towne Club.   She was a very involved mother, overseeing and encouraging both of her sons to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout and learn a musical instrument.  With her husband often working long hours, he would often miss the 5:30 pm national news.   They decided on investing in a VHS VCR so this could be recorded for him to watch later.  They also bought a video camera for it which lead to the tradition of inviting high school football plays over to watch themselves play Friday night football the following day.  Furniture had to be moved out of the Family Room to make room as they were well attended.   Carol enjoyed putting out a buffet style outlay of snacks, munchies, and soda.  She and her husband also took it upon themselves to get a photo of each senior football player for both Rick and Jim's senior year and had a poster made of each of them, which was their gift to them.  When her son Jim received a scholarship and played football at University of Wisconsin at Madison, Carol and her husband went to every game, home and away, for all 5 years, and were a regular fixture in the "parents' seats" section.  

She would later move to a condominium in Milwaukee with fantastic views of the Lake Michigan waterfront and the 3rd of July Fireworks show.   Here she made a tradition of hosting a patriotic party for many years. Over the years she collected many patriotic items including a US flag from the 1800s.  She continued this tradition even after the passing of her beloved husband in 2004 until she finally moved to Verona, WI in 2018.  She resided with her older son through a period of an onset of dementia.  About a year ago it became necessary that she move into a facility where she stayed until her final passing.

Carol is survived and lovingly remembered by her two sons, Richard P. Bourne and James C. Bourne, her three grandchildren Hunter, Dylan, and Bentley Bourne, her sister Sue (Hodge) Merrigan, her sister in-laws Jan Hodge and Brooke Bourne, their children, as well as many friends. She is preceded in death by her parents; husband; brother, Fred Hodge; and brother-in-law, Dr. Charles Bourne.

A private family burial will be held at a later date.