Carol Buller

When reflecting on the life of Carol Buller certain words come to mind – words like gracious, humble, and gentle. It was easy to see that she was a woman of faith as her faith not only guided her steps, but also manifested itself through her selfless treatment of others. Carol was a nurturing and caring mother who considered it a blessing to care for the children she shared with the love of her life. She will be remembered as an accomplished musician, a generous and kindhearted woman of God, and a friend for life. The colorful mosaic of memories she leaves behind have become a timeless treasure for the many people whose hearts she touched.

As our nation was deeply entrenched in the throes of WWII, countless Americans remained stateside and supported the war effort in a variety of ways. Rationing was in place on many common goods such as flour, sugar, paper, and rubber. Victory gardens were planted in order to lessen the demand on the nation’s food supply while families clung to the hope of the safe return of their loved ones. Amidst this unforgettable time there was much to celebrate for one young family from Grand Rapids, Michigan, since they were blessed with the birth of a healthy baby girl on March 13, 1942. Carol Evelyn was welcomed into the arms of her loving parents, Clarence and Marjory (VanderLaan) Cook and was one of five children in her family including her brother, Thomas, and her sisters, Susie, Nancy, and Linda. She was raised in the family home on Logan Street in Grand Rapids, and her father worked as a heavy equipment operator and also for the City of Grand Rapids as a taxi driver, bus driver, and also for the railroad for a time. Carol’s mother worked at Lear and also at Mount Vernon Metals.

Carol received her education through the local schools. She attended Comstock Park Schools from kindergarten through the seventh grade, Belmont School for her eighth grade year, and Comstock Park High School. Carol was a majorette in the school band and also played on the girls basketball team. She was gifted in drama, too, and was involved in the junior play. Carol also had a lead role in the senior play, “A Night in the Country,” that was performed in 1960.

In many ways, Carol experienced an upbringing that was fairly common for the youth of her generation. She enjoyed playing ball, swimming in the Belmont and Comstock Park ponds, and ice skating. Carol had great moves, too, and even won a dance contest, taking home a Ricky Nelson record as her prize!

Life was forever changed for Carol when she met the man who would forever hold the key to her heart. His name was Glenn Buller and they met while Carol was skipping school with a friend. He worked at Dexter Lock and after dating for about a year, the couple was united in marriage at Fairview Reformed Church in Walker on July 14, 1961. After a honeymoon in Virginia and at Niagara Falls, the couple settled into an apartment on Oneida. They later moved to a place on Lamont before settling in at 1676 Sandra NW where Carol remained for the following 38 years.

Together Carol and Glenn were blessed with four girls: Karen, Sharon, Dawn, and Mary. Carol fully immersed herself into caring for her girls and was strict, but also very protective as a parent. Everything that came out of her kitchen was fantastic, and her children were particularly fond of her milk toast and pancakes. Carol was particularly known for her baking skills including cookies and wedding cakes. In fact, she was very accomplished at decorating wedding cakes, and her kids always looked forward to eating off the very top of the cake that Carol sliced off. There were fun-filled family vacations that were full of memorable moments. The older two girls got to go to Jamaica while the younger two went to Hawaii. The whole family loved going camping at Silver Lake near Hart, which they did for several years. They all enjoyed going snowmobiling in the winter as well.

Much of Carol’s time was wrapped up in her family, but there were other aspects of her life, too. She worked at Lear Siegler, Zin-Plas, and later for Stehouwer Meats until she retired. Carol was an accomplished musician who played both the piano and the flute. With so many artists to choose from, contemporary Christian music was a favorite, and she also sang in the choir at church and was a member of their praise team for many years. Carol’s church, Orchard Hills Reformed Church, was an important part of her life and in addition to their music ministries, she coached the girls ball teams, too. She loved reading, especially books from her favorite authors, Stephen King and Nora Roberts, and she also went to as many Christian concerts as she could. Sewing was another favorite activity as was spending time gardening, camping, and boating.

There were so many things that made Carol such an extraordinary woman who was so dearly loved. She was generous, thoughtful, and someone who was always willing to go the extra mile for anyone. Carol was full of life and could find fun anywhere. She was bubbly, outgoing, and loved to be around others.

Although Carol Buller treasured certain things like her piano, her flute, and her precious diamond cross necklace that was a present from Glenn one Christmas, there was nothing more near and dear to her heart than her faith and her family. She was genuine and unwavering in her faith, remaining true to her God and herself each and every day. A clear reflection of the Lord she loved, Carol’s life illustrates what it truly means to be a woman after God’s own heart. Even though her friends and family will miss her deeply, they find comfort in knowing that Carol is enjoying perfect peace in her eternal home.

Carol Evelyn Buller died on Tuesday, March 29, 2011. Carol’s family includes her husband, Glenn; her children, Karen (David) Peterson, Sharon (Corin) Williams, Dawn (Jerry) Denhof, Mary Buller, adopted son, Raul (Milangela) Castillo, her grandchildren, Jason, Ashleigh, Justin, Danielle, Jordan, Kelsey, Matthew, Andrew, Kevin, Brittnie, Alexandra, and Daniel; and great-grandson, Cayden; mother, Marjory Cook; sisters, Susie (Jack) Schooley, Nancy Kline, Linda (Randy) Reeds; and many nephews, nieces and special caregiver, Linda Ammond of Great Lakes Home Health Care. Carol was preceded in death by her father, Clarence Cook and brother, Thomas Cook. Funeral services will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at Orchard Hill Reformed Church, 1465 Three Mile Rd NW. Friends may meet the family on Friday from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. at the Heritage Lifestory Funeral Homes, Van’t Hof Chapel, 851 Leonard NW and at the church for one hour prior to the service on Saturday. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can leave a memory or make a memorial contribution to Orchard Hill Reformed Church, 1465 Three Mile Rd NW, 49544 or Great Lakes Home Health Care and Hospice, 4069 Lake Dr SE, Suite B11, 49546.