Obituary: Caryl (Young) Willan - Class of 1932

MADISON - Caryl Willan, "Mom, Ma, Gram," lived an amazing 100+ years. She passed away at Oakwood Village East on April 11, 2014. Caryl lived a good, full life for a 100+ years, a century, entirely in Madison. She was born to George and Sydonia Young on July 16, 1913, in the 1200 block of East Dayton Street in the Tenney/Lapham neighborhood. Caryl was the youngest of five siblings, Gertrude, Edith, Ruth and George Jr., all deceased. Caryl's entire childhood and many years of her young adult and married life were spent in the 1200 block of E. Dayton Street. Madison Central, now MATC, was Caryl's high school. She graduated from Central in June, 1932. She met her husband-to-be, Russell Willan, near her childhood home on Dayton Street. They were married on Oct. 29, 1932. Caryl and Russell had two sons and a daughter, Lyle (Judy), Rollie (Ginny) and Marilyn Greve. All three children have remained in the Madison area. Caryl's husband, Russell passed away in 1982. Caryl was affectionally know as "Gram" to 14 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. Caryl Willan, during her century of life, demonstrated and lived an array of positive qualities. She was always there. A - rock" for her kids, a good listener and was not judgmental. Caryl always respected a person's privacy. Gossip or speaking with ill will was foreign to her. She was kind. She was a great mother-in-law, supportive, encouraging and didn't meddle. Caryl was a calm, even keeled woman. Anger was incredibly rare and always controlled. She lived a number of old adages: "Change what you can change, accept what you can't." "If you can't say something nice about someone, say nothing at all." She never complained and asked for little. Intellectually, Caryl remained sharp as a tack. Even in to her late 90's, Caryl paid her own bills, handled her own banking, read the newspaper regularly and always voted. In her later years, thanks to Terry (granddaughter) and Carl Dvorak, Caryl Willan became a "cruiser," going on a number of Caribbean Cruises. A death, after a century of life, is worth celebrating. We admire and celebrate Caryl Willan's meaningful, well-lived life. In her 100 years, Caryl witnessed and adapted to a myriad of changes: 18 presidents, beginning with Woodrow Wilson, too may wars (World War I, World War II, Korean, Viet Nam, Iraq I and Iraq II), the Depression and multiple recessions, horses to Ford Model T to Hybrid/Electric cars, air travel, space exploration, TV, computers, the internet, solar power and cell phones. Caryl Willan experienced so much change and yet remained vibrant, active and forever independent. Upon her passing, there is ample reason to celebrate. Thanks to Carl and Terry Dvorak for letting Mom experience life well beyond Dayton Street. Thanks to the folks at Oakwood Village East for making Mom's last two decades, safe, active and comfortable. Thanks to Dick Christofferson for the many red lobster lunches and staying in touch. Thanks to Agrace HospiceCare for making Mom's last days easier and more comfortable. Thanks to the Frautschi Family and Webcrafters for underwriting her health insurance so many years after retirement. Any Memorial Offerings could be made to Oakwood Village East c/o Oakwood Foundation, 6201 Mineral Point Road, Madison, Wisconsin 53705; Plymouth Congregational Church, 2410 Atwood Ave., Madison, Wisconsin, 53704; or Agrace HospiceCare, 5395 E. Cheryl Parkway, Madison, WI 53711. A Celebration of Life Gathering will be held on Saturday, May 10, 2014, at 10:30 a.m. at the OAKWOOD VILLAGE EAST CHAPEL.

Originally published in the Wisconsin State Journal on April 13, 2014. Submitted by Michael Vahldieck (Class of 1968).