Carolyn Lou (Showalter) Stone

Carolyn (Showalter) Stone Obituary

On January 4, 2025, Carolyn Stone left this earth and graduated to her heavenly home.   

Carolyn Lou Showalter was the oldest of 5 children. She was born October 28, 1950, in Grove City, Pennsylvania to Paul and Nancy Showalter.  She lived in Meadville, Pennsylvania until she was 5 years old and then they moved to Wooster, Ohio.  When she was 11 years old, she accepted Jesus as her Savior and was baptized.  That year her family made an international move to Edson, Alberta where her father pastored the Mennonite Church.  Carolyn never finished high school.  When she had only 2 courses left to graduate from high school she was advised to just enroll in college, so at 17 years old she started attending Eastern Mennonite College in Virginia where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing.  She was adventurous, at 21 she took a nursing job in La Junta, Colorado, which she was hired for over the phone.  Before Carolyn went to work in La Junta, her father asked her to come to Grande Prairie, where he had recently moved and was building a new house.  He wanted the family to be together and help build the house.  While she was there, in the summer of 1972 she met George.   In September she left for La Junta where she worked for a year before heading back to Alberta to live near George.  George and Carolyn were married December 22, 1973.  Carolyn worked as a nurse and George attended Temple Bible College.  After graduation they served as the pastors at Wildwood Chapel.  While they lived in Wildwood Janette, Darrel, Dan, Tim and Wes were all born.  Later George became the pastor at Carrot Creek Christian Fellowship and they moved to Niton Junction where she lived for the past 39 years.  She fully embraced being a pastor’s wife.  She faithfully served alongside George.  She led a ladies Bible Study.  She and George frequently sang together in church and for events.  She had a strong voice and loved to sing hymns. 

Carolyn said her greatest achievement in life was homeschooling their five children. She experienced great joy in learning with her kids and encouraging them in their different learning styles.  She picked a variety of curriculum sources to craft each one’s education.   Carolyn was a lifelong learner and always loved to read.  She especially loved true stories and history books.  She helped her kids pursue their varied interests.

Carolyn always loved to travel.  The family made multiple trips to the US to visit relatives.  She valued family and worked to stay connected to her relatives and friends who lived down there.  Carolyn and George loved taking their family camping and enjoying nature. 

After her children were grown, she did a nursing refresher course so she could work as a RN in long term care and then in home health.  She specialized in wound care. 

Carolyn had a heart for hospitality and enjoyed making special desserts and cookies for people. She was affectionately known as the “Cookie Grandma.”  George and Carolyn hosted many people in their home over the years and the house became known as the “Stone’s Hunting Lodge.” 

Carolyn enjoyed writing cards and sending them as well as care packages to friends and missionaries around the world.  She was an avid gardener and grew a very large garden.  She particularly loved picking berries and making desserts and jam.  

She was creative and crocheted afghans and baby hats, sewed quilts, quillows, pillows and baby blankets.  She also did hardanger embroidery and knitted dishcloths.  During the last years when she couldn’t be as active, she crocheted 777 baby hats to donate to the Royal Alec Hospital.  She prayed for each baby that would wear one of those hats. She had such a heart to help people. Carolyn loved her family well and was a good and thoughtful listener.

Carolyn is survived by her loving husband of 51 years, George Stone, daughter Janette Stone, son Darrel Stone (Sara), son Dan Stone (Carley), son Tim Stone, son Wes Stone, 5 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren, brother Jim Showalter (Linda), brother-in-law Dale Moffat, brother Wayne Showalter (Darlene), sister Beth Showalter, and many nieces and nephews.

Carolyn was predeceased by her parents, Paul and Nancy Showalter and her sister, Maggie Moffat.

Visitation will be at the Edson Funeral Home on Friday, January 10, 2025, at 5:30-6:00PM

Interment will be January 11, 2025, at 10:00AM at the Woodlands Cemetery in Carrot Creek

Funeral Service will be Saturday, January 11, 2025, 2:00PM at the Bethel Pentecostal Church in Edson.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to SAM Ministries Inc. and their work in Mozambique: https://samministries.org/get-involved/give/

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