Carol Ann Carnahan

Corvallis - Carol Ann Carnahan, 72 of Corvallis, passed away at home Saturday, March 28, 2009 after a three year struggle with ALS (Lou Gehrig 's disease).

She was born in Chadron, Nebraska, November 3, 1936, to John and Gertrude Whiting Partridge, the only girl among their four children. The family moved to Auburn, Washington in 1943, where Carol's father became a union machinist at Boeing. Carol and her brothers were raised and educated in Auburn, and Carol took piano lessons which were paid for with butter churned by her mother.

She married Merrill Wilson at age 16 and had four babies in as many years. After a divorce and remarriage to Michael Carnahan, the birth of two more daughters, and some twenty years, in 1976 she followed her daughter Paula's lead and enrolled at Green River Community College in Auburn where she studied music and piano and earned an associates degree. She fondly remembered then 10 year-old daughter Pegi helping her recognize a trilobite as she did her geology homework. She continued with classes in piano pedagogy, and after moving to Montana in 1992, she attended the University of Montana in Missoula, where she studied piano with Steven Hesla. In 1994, she was awarded professional certification by the Montana Music Teachers Association, 40 years after she would have graduated from high school.

Throughout the years, she taught piano and worked as a secretary. In 1995 she became music director at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Hamilton, where she enjoyed serving her church family until late 2008. She also performed with great pleasure as piano accompanist at many school and community playhouse musicals.

Carol was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers, Charles and Kenneth. Also preceding her in death was a baby daughter, Jill Dianne Wilson, and daughter Kerrin Lynn (Stefan) Carnahan-Heino.

She is survived by her beloved husband of 46 years, Michael Arnold Carnahan, and four children whose mother she was proud to be: Mark Duane Wilson, Paula Jo (Will) Reavis, Greg Wilson and Pegi Ann Carnahan; her brother, Jim (Sandi) Partridge of Auburn, WA; nine grandchildren; and a growing list of great grandchildren.

She felt blessed to have a wonderful life with all its ups and downs, and was thankful for all of her precious family and friends who filled her life with much love and joy. Thank you, Darling, for all the fun, love, joy and devotion you gave to us, your family, friends and our community!