Carol Lindeland

Carol Lindeland (1947-2024)

Mary Carolyn Keyes-Lindeland, 77 of Cumming, Georgia, passed away at home surrounded by her family and friends on August 13, 2024.

Carol, as she was known to her family and friends was born in Dayton, Ohio to Charlotte and Louis Keyes. She attended St. Rita’s elementary school, Julienne high school and the University of Dayton. In 1967 she joined IBM, retiring after 30 years in 1995. Defying the tide of a male dominated culture, she rose through the ranks and concluded her career as a marketing executive in the company’s offices in Atlanta.

Carol was the third of five children, and the family was overjoyed with her arrival. With blonde curls and an ever-present smile, she stole hearts wherever they went. She loved to dress up, yet a little bit of charming tomboy managed to shine through.

As the years went by, she and her older sister, Kathy formed that special bond that sisters sometimes do. They shared a room all the years they lived at home, and that closeness was sometimes good and sometimes unbearable. Arguments were frequent but so was contagious laughter, and often one would breakout on the heels of the other. They wore each other’s clothes and sometimes “borrowed” them, forgetting to ask.

As a freshman in high school, she was known as Kathy’s younger sister. Yet, she didn’t just live in her older sister’s shadow, rather she became her own person – making her own way. One path she chose was to spend the summer with her girlfriends in Ocean City, New Jersey. Still teenagers, they found jobs and had the time of their lives.

When IBM took her to Atlanta, she joined her older brother, Lou, her sister, Kathy and her younger sister, Patty who already lived there, and for a brief time most of our family lived in the metro area. Our parents had retired to Florida, so Atlanta was where the family gathered for holidays.

Carol loved the outdoors and was an avid runner and cyclist in middle-age. In fact, it was on a bike ride that she met the love of her life, Rudy Lindeland. They hit it off immediately and before to long, they were married. Rudy brought love, joy, and a best friend to share her life. She also gained a new loving family.

As Rudy’s daughter, Shannon expressed it so beautifully:

“We lost a huge part of our family on Tuesday. Carol was my kid’s Grandma Carol, the absolute best stepmom I could ever ask for and my dad’s best friend, soul mate and caregiver. We were all very, very blessed to have had her as the most positive cheerleader and supporter. She always, always showed up. Even when it was a huge task to get my dad from point A to point B…. she still showed up for whatever we were doing. Every sporting event, every birthday party, every holiday, every Sunday night meal, every last-minute plan, etc. Carol showed up ready to help, hug, hang out, make others happy and enjoy the time spent together.

Her smile was infectious, her laugh lit up any room and she loved us so much.

She had big plans to travel to Virginia to see her namesake, Acadia Carolyn, get married in September. She looked so forward to the upcoming wedding. I am so disappointed she wasn’t able to attend but she definitely will have the best seat in the house.

Carol was a proud Aunt Carol to her many nieces and nephews in the Keyes family. She loved seeing them grow, marry and start families. She always cherished getting new pictures of any activity they were doing and sharing them with us.

We knew she was a busy lady and by the volume of calls, visits, texts, meals and cards she received (I have never seen so many thoughtful cards in one’s mailbox day after day), she was dearly loved. Not that we were surprised, but we were all very pleasantly surprised for the abundance of outreach and support in her honor.”

Carol loved her Sawnee Ridge Church family so much. She truly enjoyed helping with administrative duties and was passionate about giving back to others less fortunate. And even though she moved on, she maintained many relationships and fond memories of her friends at her former church, Cumming First United Methodist.

She loved her community and being involved in it. Carol was an active PEO sister for many years and took joy in the projects and services they provided, and they loved her for it. According to Barbara Jones, the current president of Carol’s local chapter, “Carol made such a difference in our PEO Chapter BT with her kindness, her positive "can do" attitude, her many talents, and her vast knowledge of PEO protocol from her years of leadership in PEO. She had been President twice for Chapter AB before joining our new Chapter BT in 2019. She was such a big part of all we do! It is so hard to understand that she is no longer with us!”

Carol’s neighbors are next level incredible. She loved them and they loved her. When she was hospitalized, they were there to brighten her day, and when she came home, they gathered her mail, checked on her and cooked several meals for her and us. I’ve never seen a more caring group of women that truly loved her so much.

Shannon continues, “This last month for Carol was tough. She’s had a blood condition for a couple of years that was managed with transfusions and infusions to help her bone marrow do its job. Up until mid-July, although she had slowed down quite a bit with her walking and exercise, she was still carrying on with her activities and commitments….and still showing up for all of us.

However, a few weeks ago, her blood condition had obviously morphed into a form of leukemia that was just too painful and aggressive to overcome. After over a week in the
hospital (Northside Forsyth ED and 7th floor staff were incredible), test after test after test, and the confirmation of her diagnosis, she decided she wanted to go home.
Her support team in her home was absolutely amazing. I could not have asked for a better group of people to come together for her care. You know who you are, and we all love you for it.

As hard as it is, there is just nothing that compares to making sure you are carrying out and honoring exactly what is wanted. Carol was so very much at peace with her decisions.

To say that I won the jackpot in the stepmom department, is surely an understatement. Definitely did not deserve her but I /we were extremely blessed to have had her in our lives for the past 30 years.

Shock, numb, disbelief in all that has happened in the past month, and profound sadness are how I feel. Paul and I will miss her terribly, my kids will miss her terribly, her Keyes family will miss her terribly. Everyone that had the pleasure to know her is better for it. To that end, it is the proof of a life well lived and will help us navigate the future without her smiling face and precious soul.”

Carol’s sister, Patty remembers: “In Carol’s generous spirit, in what she termed “The Big House”, she hosted her niece’s showers, friend’s children showers, Mom’s 85th birthday and countless other family gatherings. With each event she created a sense of welcome and belonging, even down to the painting and creation of the invitations. Everyone felt like they were at home whether it was taking naps in the sunroom or enjoying a meal in the garage with many, many tables.

We all remember her courage and selfless act of serving her beloved Rudy for fifteen years after his Parkinson’s diagnosis. Her absolute laying down of her own life was so selfless and inspiring. During that time, they were part of a “Shakers” community for families struggling with Parkinson’s, where she supported and encouraged those around her, while receiving the support she needed as well. Since Rudy’s passing, she has lovingly taken care of her elderly friends in her neighborhood and PEO group who needed companionship and transportation.

Carol had many talents along with the love of hosting. She picked up and carried on our mother’s love of art and card making. She created many portraits of family members, friends, parents and her beloved Rudy. She made thank you cards at Thanksgiving for all the volunteers at CUM, her church.

I am very grateful for the bond we shared in so many interests. Not only sisters biologically, but sisters in Christ. I was inspired by her unwavering faith through the last few years. After Rudy died, she faced her own health challenges and a terminal diagnosis with such hope and grace.”

Carol was preceded in death by her parents, Louis and Charlotte Keyes, her brother, Lou Jr., and her sister, Kathy. A terrible loss is felt by the entire Keyes family. Among them are her sister Patty Turner, and her husband, Tim, their children and grandchildren, her brother Tony and his wife Dawn, their children and grandchild. Her Niece Amy Goodman and her husband Neil and Nephew Lou Keyes and his wife Karen, their children and many other family members.

She has left a deep void for the daughter she had in Shannon Marks, her son-in-law Paul Marks, and their three grandchildren: Branson, Annsley, and Paul Jr., as well as with their grandparents, Dee and Jerry Marks, and Bettye Sunshine Culver.

A celebration of Carol’s life will be held on Saturday November 16, 2024, at McDonald and Son Funeral Home, 150 Sawnee Dr, Cumming, GA 30040

Visitation: 10:00am – 11:00am

Service: 11:00am with a reception immediately following

Expressions of care and sympathy in memory of Carol in the form of donations are encouraged to:

C/O Pastor David Lee
Sawnee Ridge Church
P.O. Box 1985
Cumming, GA 30028
Phone: 470-820-8333

The P.E.O. Foundation
3700 Grand Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50312
Cumming Georgia Phone: 407-782-7486

Please make your check payable to The P.E.O. Foundation and include a note stating your donation is in memory of Carol Lindeland a member of Chapter BT Georgia.