Carol Lorene Batterbee

     Carol Lorene Batterbee, age 80, of Ovid, Michigan, passed away on Sunday, September 13, 2026, surrounded by loved ones.
     Carol’s story began in a little log cabin—a home belonging to her older sister, Lela, where she was born on March 1, 1946. She was the daughter of Clyde Clayton and Mary Lela (Davis) Cooper and grew up in a large family that would shape so much of who she became. She graduated from Marion High School in the class of 1964.
     On May 14, 1966, Carol married James “Jim” Batterbee at Pisgah Heights Wesleyan Church in Marion. In their 54 years of marriage, they built a family and a home where faith, love, hard work, laughter, and togetherness were always important. Carol was, at heart, a homemaker—and she was very good at it. She filled her home with the things that made a family feel cared for: fresh vegetables from her garden and homemade meals she lovingly prepared. To Carol, everyone at her table was considered family, and there was always room for one more.
     Her faith was a cornerstone of her life. She taught Sunday school and lived out her faith through the way she cared for others, served her community, and loved her family. She enjoyed expressing her faith through acts of service. She used her talents to sew with The Dignity Ladies, served on the board of Ola Camp, raised money to donate for Bibles abroad, and packed shoeboxes every year for Operation Christmas Child. For decades, she generously volunteered her time and energy to the huge task of organizing the Community Thanksgiving Dinner, which provided hundreds of meals so that all the people in her community could experience the joy of the holiday.
     But perhaps Carol’s greatest gift was her ability to make memories. She was endlessly creative. She made Easter dresses, birthday cakes, and costumes; dreamed up treasure hunts and scavenger hunts. She planned themed family reunions and invented games, challenges, and competitions that kept everyone laughing and participating. She attended her kids’ games and activities, cheering them on and making sure they knew she was there.
     And Carol knew how to have fun. She didn’t mind when the kids played in the mud. Her only requirement was that they rinse off with the hose afterward. She loved a good prank and took great pleasure in keeping old family traditions alive, including the time-honored tradition of the shivaree. Her mischievous sense of humor was one of the things that made her so much fun to be around.
     She had a remarkable memory, especially when it came to the people she loved. Carol remembered everyone’s birthday and knew what was happening in the lives of her family members, even when they lived far away. She held the family together as the family touchstone who made sure connections were not lost.
     As much as she loved being a mother, becoming a grandmother opened up a whole new kind of joy for Carol. She was always ready for a tea party, especially when her grandchildren were involved. And there were some rules that changed when grandchildren came along—including the rule about what could be served for dinner. Her grandchildren could have ice cream for dinner. Her own children, of course, never got that privilege. Carol was also an artist, and her creativity extended beyond family celebrations. She painted beautiful oil paintings, leaving behind pieces of herself in the colors and images she created.
Carol was also deeply grateful for the gift of time. After beating cancer the first time, she was given another 30 years—30 precious years she never took for granted. She was grateful for those years because they allowed her to watch her children grow up, see them marry, and meet her grandchildren. She got to see the family she had poured so much of herself into continue to grow. That was the gift she treasured most.
    Carol will be remembered in the little things as much as the big things: in family recipes and holiday traditions, in birthday celebrations, in game nights, in homemade meals, in stories about childhood adventures, in games played at family reunions, and in the laughter that comes from remembering one of her pranks. She will be remembered every time someone gathers family together simply because that is what Carol taught them to do.
     She leaves behind more than photographs and keepsakes. She leaves behind traditions, stories, faith, and a family that knows how to stay connected because she taught them how.
     Carol is survived by her children, Carrie Beth (Craig) Turner, Jessica (Gabe) Cameron, Amanda (Kenn) Cushman, Bill (Trish) Jacobson; her siblings, Birt (Arlyene) Cooper and Steven Cooper; her grandchildren, Jesse Ruth (Eric) Willour, Aiden Cushman, Reagan Cushman, Opal Cushman, Ian Turner, Charlie Cameron, Chloe Cameron, and Brady Cameron; and her great-grandchildren, Eric Willour Jr., Karsyn Willour, and Brayden Willour, and, many other extended family members and friends. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, James “Jim” Batterbee; her parents, Clyde and Mary Cooper; her son, Cleatus Batterbee; and her siblings, Roger Cooper, Martha Salisbury, Bud Cooper, Bill Cooper, Jack Cooper, Lela Wheeler, Ralph Cooper, and Patsy Thompson.
     Funeral Services will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes – Houghton Chapel in Ovid, Michigan, at 1:00 P.M. on Thursday, September 17, 2026, with Pastor Cal Emerson officiating. Visitation will be held on Thursday, September 17, 2026, from 11:00 A.M. until the time of the service at the funeral home.
     Carol’s life was a gift to her family, and her greatest legacy is the love she created and the memories she made. She spent her life bringing people together. Now, the people she brought together will carry her with them.
     In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Gideons International or Hospice House of Shiawassee County. Online condolences may be sent to www.smithfamilyfuneralhomes.com. The family is being served by Smith Family Funeral Homes – Houghton Chapel, Ovid, Michigan.