Obituary for my Mom

The last few days have been incredibly difficult ones for me and my family. Yes, it is true, my mom has passed. Here’s the full obituary we finished last night. The short version will be in the local papers soon. Thanks for your support.

Janis Carroll of Silverton, Oregon unexpectedly suffered a massive stroke at age 71 on Tuesday evening, December 14th, and passed away the following day at Legacy Emmanuel Hospital in Portland. Both her sons were by her side as she passed peacefully.

Born the middle of three girls from Harold Lennon Thompson and Montene Hughes Thompson in Vallejo California in 1950, Janis went on to marry her high school sweetheart, Roy Rogers, at age 19 and have a son, Sam. She later divorced and for a time was married to Charles Klawitter, gifting her a second son, John. She raised her two boys in Napa California, where she managed downtown gift store “The Hollow Reed” with her best friend Linda MacDonald, and then started her own payroll & consulting business.

Upon winning her battle over breast cancer, she moved to Silverton Oregon where she opened “Reliable Bookkeeping” on Oak Street, next to the movie theater. She was an active part of the community, helping organize the first Silverton Wine & Jazz Festival, and volunteering for the local senior center and food bank. She loved playing and listening to all sorts of music, and often was first on the dance floor. She loved cooking and eating delicious food, which she shared generously — typically alongside plenty of good stories, life lessons, and infectious laughter. She also was an avid and skilled craftsperson who loved sewing, knitting, crocheting, tatting, weaving, basketweaving, broommaking, and more, and usually had more than a handful such projects going at once. She loved animals of all kinds, and was proud to be featured with her dog Lolli on the Pet Parade mural on First Street.

She is survived by her sisters Margie Gritton (Sublimity) and Amy Tilghman (Arkansas), sons Sam Rogers (Utah) and John Klawitter (Salem), nieces Laura Ayers (Albany) and Joan Harmon (Kentucky), stepsisters Claudette Daily & Paulette Carson (Napa), and a great many friends and extended family who will miss her dearly.

The family will hold a private graveside service at Miller Cemetery, arranged by Unger Funeral Chapel. A communal celebration of Janis’s life is set for April 30th. Contact me for details.

Janis was a strong advocate for treating people and animals well, and stepping up to feed & care for each other. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that a donation be made to your local SPCA or food bank in memoriam of our beloved Janis Carroll.