06/22/2024
Services for Carol Marian (Carnahan) Burggraf age 71 of Lodi, CA formerly of Knoxville will be held at a later date.
The interment will be at Hewitt Cemetery near Reasnor. The Garden Chapel Funeral Home.
Carol Marian (Carnahan) Burggraf passed away Saturday, in Lodi, California.
Carol was born to Clark and Thelma Carnahan on Dec. 14, 1952, in Des Moines Iowa.
She attended school in Knoxville and graduated with the class of 1971.
From a young age, Carol had a passion for animals, especially dogs.
She and her family showed dogs all over the country with great success producing champion show dogs and deepening her affection for “Man’s best friend”.
Carol was never without some kind of pet in her home whether it be dogs or cats or birds and once, even a ferret.
She poured her heart into the Care of her animals and her love for them was evident when visiting her home or talking with her on the phone.
Inevitably, at some point, the conversation would turn to “Did I tell you what Maggie and Pepper did this week?”
Carol was united in marriage to Bill Pitt in 1971 shortly before Bill joined the United States Air Force.
Carol and Bill spent some time in Southern California during Bill’s Air Once years before moving back home to Knoxville.
In 1978 Bill and Carol welcomed their only child Tim, to the world.
Tim was, by her own words, the light of her life and she would spend the rest of her days making sure he knew it.
In the Mid-90s Carol moved to Port Byron, Illinois with her second husband, John Burggraf.
She spent several years there working at Genesis Health Center in the business office until her retirement.
After John died in 2009 Carol once again returned to Knoxville to be close to her son and her granddaughter, Savannah.
In retirement, Carol spent her days caring for her animals tending to her yard and her flowers, and showering friends and family with love and support in any way she could.
She also found joy in attending St. Anthony’s Catholic Church and Volunteering her time at the Knoxville Humane Society.
Carol journeyed west to California in 2020 to again be near her son and eventually her granddaughter who followed later.
She enjoyed having family dinners with her “home team” and being able to sit around “doing nothing all day” if that’s what she felt like doing.
Carol was loved by all who knew her.
She viewed the world with a childlike curiosity and her desire to always continue to learn new things was an inspiration to many around her.
Carol was preceded in death by her parents, Clark and Thelma Carnahan, an infant brother Louis, and a sister Connie.
Those left to cherish her memory are her sister Kathleen Carpenter and her husband Ron.
In retirement, Carol spent her days caring for her animals tending to her yard and her flowers,
and showering friends and family with love and support in any way she could.