Obituary of Carole Stevens

Carole Lynn Stevens (Jackson) passed away peacefully on July 7, 2022 in Holladay, Utah after several years of decline with Alzheimer’s disease. She was lovingly cared for by the staff she so adored at the Ridge Cottonwood as well as by her amazing and thoughtful care team at Canyon Hospice. She spent her final days and weeks visiting with close family and friends, and listening to her favorite music. Carole was born June 2, 1948 in Inglewood, California. She was the daughter of Jewel and Phillip Jackson. She had an older brother Bill with whom she remained close throughout her life. Carole looked forward to her many visits to San Diego,California to see her brother and his wife Chris, especially over the last few years enjoying many trips to the San Diego Zoo, ocean walks, national parks, and visits with her nephews, great niece and great nephews. Carole spent her life through young adulthood in Los Angeles, California, and grew up in her large extended family at Westchester Christian Church, going to camps and also taking some memorable family train and car trips to visit her grandparents in Indiana and Texas. She attended Westchester High School, where she sang in the choir and played trumpet in the marching band. After high school, she toured and sang with the Up With People organization throughout the United States and Europe from 1968 through 1973. She formed many life-long friendships with her cast mates, with whom she was fondly known as “Jax”. When Carole made a friend, she had a friend for life. She had many friends from her childhood days and throughout her life with whom she was still in active contact. After leaving the Up With People organization, she returned to Westchester, and attended the University of Southern California, where she would receive her bachelors and masters degrees in Education. Carole was a Trojan for life, and loved cheering them on, especially if she knew they were playing a rival college (Notre Dame). Still living in Westchester after college, and while working a brief stand as an examiner for the California DMV, Carole met the love of her life Bruce Alan Stevens at the Westchester church and was married on June 13, 1981. Together, Carole and Bruce had four children - Ashley, Phillip, William, and Makayla. Additionally, Carole was a proud step-mother to Bruce’s three sons, Michael, Christopher, and Jeffrey. Carole was an educator for more than 30 years in California and Idaho, teaching children of all ages and grade levels throughout her career. Her passion; however, was for the early elementary age and she would end her teaching career as a 1st grade teacher at Xavier Elementary in Twin Falls, Idaho. Carole loved each student who came to her classroom unconditionally and maintained longstanding friendships with many of them as they grew older. She was passionate about special education and warmly welcomed students of all abilities into her classrooms. Carole and Bruce’s love for children expanded into serving as foster parents in Twin Falls, taking care of numerous children, and eventually adopting their daughter Makayla in 2004. Carole was a lifelong Disney parks fan and her memories of taking her family to Disneyland remained some of her most cherished. When her granddaughter Mia was born in November 2020, Carole reacted to the news by exclaiming “and now we can take her to Disneyland!” Carole loved spending time with Mia, and would sing songs to her ranging from the “Kit Kat” theme to “Happy Birthday” on one of her final visits with her beloved granddaughter. She would always light up with a vision of recognition and love during Mia’s visits. Carole is preceded in death by her husband Bruce Alan Stevens, her mother Jewel Mae Jackson, and her father Phillip Hozzie Jackson. She is survived by her brother Bill (Chris) Jackson of San Diego, CA, her daughters Ashley (Dave) Stuart of Salt Lake City, UT, Makayla Lynn Adema of Spokane, WA, her sons Phillip (Rachael) Stevens of Twin Falls, ID, William Stevens of New Orleans, LA, step-sons Michael Stevens of Edmond, OK, Christopher (Melissa) Stevens of Broken Arrow, OK, and Jeffrey (Dayle) Stevens of Twin Falls. She is also survived by her granddaughter Mia Stuart. The family is requesting in lieu of flowers that donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org), 225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17, Chicago, IL 60601 in her memory. A Celebration of Life service will be held on August 27, 2022 at 11:00 am at Rosenau Funeral Home at 2826 Addison Ave in Twin Falls, ID. The family hopes that you will keep Carole’s memory alive by singing along to your favorite song, snuggling up with your favorite pet, or making a new friend for life. Carole was the easiest person to love and will be missed tremendously by all who knew and loved her back.