Carol Stuart

“Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, but about learning to dance in the rain.” Born in Menominee, MI, Carol Mae Cox Stuart was raised in Peshtigo, WI by Robert and Mildred Cox with her five brothers and sisters (Joan, Robert, Patricia, Richard and James). She entered the pre-novitiate of the Franciscan Church when she graduated from 8th grade. She decided to pursue a different path in life and attended college at St. Norbert’s. She secured a job as a reporter for the Brown County Chronicle after graduation and was writing a piece about the carnival coming to town. There she met a young man by the name of George A. Stuart Jr. who was a carny and had answers for all of her questions whether they were the truth or not. She fell for him and when the carnival left town, she quit her job, bought a tent and a sleeping bag, put her stuff in storage and spent the next 40 years with him for good or bad. During that time they created Suzanne Stuart Merrill, and George “Al” Stuart, III while traveling with the carnival. They decided to permanently “Winterquarter” in Walker, Louisiana. While living in Walker Carol decided to pursue even more education. She went back to school at LSU and got her teaching certification for High School English. She quickly learned that was not the career for her and went back to school yet again to get her Masters in Humanities with a concentration in Religious Studies. She ended up becoming an acclaimed writer for the Denham Springs/Livingston Parish News and worked her way to becoming an assistant editor in charge of the Lifestyle and Entertainment section. She was a loving Gamma to Elizabeth, Susan and Noah Merrill. She will be sorely missed by all who knew her.