Carolyn A. McDonald, age 83, passed away on Sunday, January 25, 2026, at The Villas of Holly Brook in Mt. Carmel, Illinois.
Carolyn A. McDonald, age 83, passed away on Sunday, January 25, 2026, at The Villas of Holly Brook in Mt. Carmel, Illinois. Carolyn was born on October 20, 1942, in Christy Township, Illinois, the daughter of Claude and Margie (Gentry) Bennett.
Carolyn grew up in the Lawrence County area and attended Sumner School. She later moved to Normal, Illinois, and after twenty years, moved back to Olney, Illinois. Carolyn had many professions – too many to list here: homemaker, school cook, office assistant – but her favorite was tour director. During the pandemic, she was the mask lady at IGA and later a cashier. All of those professions pale compared to her drive to travel. She loved it so much she owned her own travel business, BJ Travel, for twelve years. The secret can now be let out: she loved GOING so much she would have paid people to get on the “COACH.” The only things more important than going were her Faith and her Family.
Carolyn’s hobbies included travel; if she could not do that, there was travel; but mostly, she loved to travel. Christmas was her favorite holiday – who remembers the “Living Christmas Tree” or the “Live Nativity”? If you have not experienced one of Carolyn’s Christmas boxes, you owe it to yourself to ask someone about them. Cards, cards and more cards – Rook, Euchre, Canasta, Golf, and The Crew.
Carolyn is survived by her children, Jon (Susan) McDonald and Geolyn (Rob Tomlinson) McDonald; her siblings, Gwyn (Wade) Wilson and Ronnie (Deanna) Bennett; her sisters in love, Vickie Bennett and Jan Bennett; her grandchildren, Roxanne (Jeff) Kidd, Jessie (Brian) Stone, and Jacob (Christi) McDonald; and her great-grandchildren, Rhett Clodfelter, Zoey Clodfelter, Emma Clodfelter, Dane Stone, Gauge Phillips, Tucker Phillips, Julian McDonald, Lynnlea McDonald and Phoebe McDonald.
Carolyn is preceded in death by her daughter, Michele McDonald; her parents, Margie and Claude Bennett; her brothers, Phil Bennett and Greg Bennett; her niece, Leslie Bennett; and her best travel buddy, Tom Vincent.
A graveside memorial service will be held on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at Crest Haven Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Beulah Harvest Church and/or the National Alzheimer’s and Dementia Resource Center in Carolyn’s memory.
