Obituary of Caroline C. Krauthoefer

Caroline Copelin Nelson Krauthoefer, 80, will always be remembered for her humor and her love of family and friends. She left us on September 18, 2010 in Ocala, Florida, after surviving a courageous two and one half years with stage IV esophageal cancer. Caroline was born in 1930 in Toledo, Ohio, to Lucella Summers Copelin and Carl Morris Copelin. She married Stuart "Pete" Grange Nelson in May 1952 who predeceased her in 1969 and is survived by her loving husband William "Bill" Krauthoefer whom she married in June of 1982. Caroline moved from Toledo, Ohio, to Coral Gables, Florida as a teenager, attended Mary Washington College and graduated in 1952 from The University of Miami. She was a 50-year member of Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority. In 1955 Caroline moved to Pompano Beach, Florida, where she raised her 3 children. In Pompano she was actively involved with St. Martin in the Fields Episcopal Church: she served on the vestry, for years she organized the antique show held there, helped to needlepoint the alter cushions and along with Pete donated the largest bell for the bell tower. In the 1970's Caroline was part owner of the Clothes Tree. Since 1997 Caroline and Bill spent their winters in Ocala, Florida. Starting in 1960 Caroline began spending summers in Boone, North Carolina, where some of her favorite activities were exploring the local mountains with picnic lunches, antiquing and working on her prized flower garden. Caroline loved to needlepoint, made many quilts, was known for her unique "birdboxes" as well as dollhouses, grew orchids and was an avid reader all her life, a love she passed on to her two daughters. She loved animals, having grown up with dogs, but later in life she was devoted to her cherished Tonkinese cats. Caroline is survived by her children, Karen S. Nelson, of Carmel, California, Jeffrey "Jeff" Copelin Nelson, of American Canyon, California, and Nancy Norton Nelson Hammond (husband Steve) of Richmond, California, and brother Carl Brown Copelin (wife Colleen). Sister Susan Luce Copelin Poorman Arnold predeceased her. Her friends were always near and dear to her throughout her life especially her childhood friend Joan Lewis and her many wonderful friends in Boone, North Carolina, Ocala and Gainesville, Florida. Services for Caroline will be at St. Martin in the Fields Episcopal Church, Pompano Beach, Florida, on Friday, October 8, 2010 at 3pm, with burial following in the City of Pompano Beach Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to her favorite charities: The Humane Society of Watauga County, P.O. Box 1835, Boone, North Carolina 28607 and Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation, P.O. Box 38, Columbus, Ohio 43216 or a charity of your choice. Our family wishes to thank all her doctors especially Dr. Roderick Paras of Ocala Oncology.