Carolyn Jane Mead

Carolyn Mead, 77, of Beal City, passed away Sunday, November 6, 2016, at Covenant Hospital in Saginaw, surrounded by her family. A Funeral Mass for Carolyn will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 10, at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church in Beal City with Father Thomas J. McNamara as celebrant. The family will receive friends in the gathering room of the church on Wednesday from 3-7 p.m. with the Vigil beginning at 7 p.m. Visitation continues on Thursday one hour prior to Mass. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Joseph the Worker School, Masses, or the charity of the donors choice. Carolyn was born October 30, 1939, in Beal City, daughter of the late Herbert Gerald and Florence Margaret (Emmons) Straus. A 1957 graduate of Beal City High School, she married Larry Mead on November 5, 1960 at St. Philomena Catholic Church in Beal City. She was employed in the meat department at Rics for 22 years, retiring in 2002. Some of her favorite pastimes were quilting, knitting, reading, gardening, and baking. But nothing was more important to Carolyn than her family, especially her two grandchildren. Carolyn is survived by her husband of 56 years, Larry; two children, Brian (Karen) Mead of Beal City and Brenda Mead (Michele Durand) of Findlay, OH; two grandchildren, Danielle and Cory Mead; five siblings, Ladonna (Cal) Havekost of Littlefield Lake, Larry Straus of Drummond Island, Margaret Simmer of Beal City, Pete Straus of Springfield, MO, Nancy (Ray) Chaplin of Pine, Idaho; sisters-in-law, Vera Straus of Beal City, Betty Straus of Flushing, Esther Straus of Dewitt, and Peggy Straus of Beal City; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; and six brothers, Gerald, Max, Paul, Art, Carl, and Fred Straus. The family extends their special gratitude to Covenant Hospital staff for the excellent care given to Carolyn.