Carol Ann Summers Body,

June 9, 1935- November 22, 2017

Carol was born in Akron, Ohio, one of three daughters of Margaret and Lewis Summers. She married James Body on July 27, 1956. A lifelong Buckeye fan, she received her Bachelor of Arts in 1967 and her Master of Arts in Education in 1975 from The Ohio State University.

Her teaching career, spanning more than 50 years, began in 1956 in Savannah, Georgia where Jim was stationed with the Air Force. She also taught in both Dublin and Hilliard, Ohio as well as Fort Worth, Texas, where she was named Teacher of the Year within her district. After retiring in 1995, she continued to serve as a substitute teacher. She was passionate about encouraging all her students to achieve their potential, setting high standards which she helped them to meet. She loved working at the middle and high school levels, as that is where she saw students making life changing decisions, and she was always there to provide advice, or just listen as they worked through their issues. She was able to connect with everyone but always sought out those students that were having difficulty, either academically or personally, and her love and support for them helped many of them succeed. She also served as a mentor and role model for other teachers. Over the years, one of her greatest joys has been the affirmation she has received for former students and colleagues about how she changed their lives.

Carol’s generosity and loving spirit was not limited to her career. She was active in church as well as in neighborhood social committees. She was the go-to person to organize activities and events, reaching out to people in need, opening her home on many occasions when one of her myriad of friends needed help. She kept in touch with everyone she had met over the years, forging lifelong friendships that have sustained those that she cared about throughout their lives. While she has two biological children, many people throughout the country think of her as their second mom. She was an amazing woman, a working mother long before that became typical, a loving daughter, sister, wife, mother and friend. She was so proud of her two daughters, her granddaughter and grandson, and was fortunate enough to be able to spend time with her two great-granddaughters. Her spirit will live on in all of us.

Carol was predeceased by her mother and father, Lewis and Margaret Summers, and one sister, Barbara Summers Dickson. She is survived by her sister Sarah (Sally) Summers Erickson, (Rich), her husband of 61 years, James Blair Body, her two daughters Barbara Swartz and Katherine Laukzemis, her sons-in law Jeff Swartz and Dan Laukzemis, her granddaughter Kelsey Summers Klos and her grandson-in law Danny Klos, her grandson D. James Laukzemis, and her great-grandaughters Denver Blair and Ray Summers Klos, as well as several cousins, nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life Service for Carol will take place Dec 15, 2017 at 1:30 pm at University City United Methodist Church, 3835 W WT Harris Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28269.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation http://www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org/ways-to-give/donate-now, or to supporting requests from teachers via DonorsChoose, https://www.donorschoose.org/

Carolina Cremation of Charlotte and Salisbury is serving the Body family. Online condolences may be made at www.carolinacremation.com.