In loving memory of Carolyn Frances Pickrell Sundberg who passed away peacefully on Tuesday June 8, 2021 at 3 pm at Wesley Village in Macomb, IL.
Carolyn was born on April 22, 1945 in Springfield, IL to John H. and Carolyn Kenny Pickrell. She was married to Dr. James Allen Sundberg of Rockford, IL on March 2, 1968 and enjoyed 45 years of marriage prior his death in 2013.
Carolyn was a graduate of Tri-City High School in Buffalo, IL. She attended Eastern Kentucky University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign prior to receiving her bachelor’s degree and master’s degrees from Western Illinois University.
Her master’s degree in College Student Personnel led her to 30 years of rewarding service at WIU in the university library working with “her kids”, the student workers. Through the years, she developed many incredible relationships.
Her real pride, though, was her family. Strongly loyal to her Pickrell roots, as well as her husband and 2 sons, she found incredible joy in raising children and watching her grandchildren grow. Her favorite saying was “show ‘em how to do it!”
She reveled in a good historical fiction novel with a strong female lead. She also loved getting her hands dirty in the garden and bird watching.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and brothers Frank and John.
She is survived by 2 sons: James Wood Sundberg (wife JoAnne) of Lombard, IL and their 3 children: Elise (Lisle, IL), Jacob (Saint Charles, MO) and Andrew (Phoenix, AZ) and Brian Christopher Sundberg (wife Dana) of Boulder, CO and their 2 daughters: Lille and Isabelle (both Boulder, CO) and siblings Joe Pickrell (wife Marilyn) of Buffalo, IL, Elizabeth Ruddie (husband Stan) of Kent Island, MD and David Pickrell (Birmingham, AL).
The Family will host a memorial gathering on Saturday, June 12 at 10 am at Fullenwider-Park Funeral Home in Mechanicsburg and will then proceed to the Pickrell Family Cemetery for burial.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Good Hope Foundation, www.thegoodhopefoundation.org
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