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December 26, 1942 – February 19, 2026

With broken hearts and immense love and gratitude, we share that Carol passed away on February 19 in the arms of family and surrounded by a lifetime of love. Beloved wife of David Hill for 63 years, loving mom to Todd (Diana) and Colleen, exceptional grandma to Stefanie (Patrick), Ben (Tara), Jacqueline (Nick), Jimmy and Tess and adored great grandma to Fox and Tate. Lovingly called Hon, Mom, Gram and Big Wheels. The first child of Fred and Lillian Nixon arrived on Boxing Day in Toronto. It may say Lillian on the birth certificate, but she was their Christmas Carol from the start. With Fred serving in the RCAF, the family moved to Trenton, where baby sister Judy (Cliff Prophet, deceased) arrived just 15 months after Carol. The next move brought the family to the big white house on the corner in the little town of Manilla, and they were home for good. Three baby boys quickly followed—her cherished brothers Mark (Dallas), Jimmy (deceased) (Sharon) and Grant (Pat). Carol was the best big sister. Quietly confident, a natural leader, she had time for everyone. And it was as big sister that she began her lifelong commitment to loving and nurturing those around her—in her company and with her care, everyone had a home.  Endlessly enthusiastic, excited for life, and caring to her core, Carol was a cherished big sister and the eldest daughter every family should have. They knew how lucky they were. Carol’s childhood was idyllic, built on a foundation of love and family. She adored having people around—there was always room for more in Carol’s heart. She loved planning get togethers, loved the family cottage on Lake Simcoe, and loved being surrounded by family and friends. Carol adored school and all the social activities tied to it. She excelled at sports. She was a star setter on the high school’s championship volleyball team, a cheerleader, and a track athlete who knew how to run. (Even in her 80s, Carol could outrun any of us in a 100 metre dash.) When the dogs, cows or horses got out, Carol would be sprinting down the lane before anyone else had their shoes on. Carol met the love of her life in high school. She and David were true partners, lifting each other up through a lifetime of love. Together they could do anything, risk takers who trusted in each other through 63 years of marriage and adventure. They married and settled in Beaverton, where they owned Hill’s Texaco—the first of many businesses run together. Carol embraced and and loved the Hill family like her own and treasured her relationships with Dave’s parents, Sadie and Howard Hill (both deceased), sister Mary Ellen (deceased) (Lorne Taylor), and brothers Jimmy (deceased) and Ted (Linda, deceased). And they loved her right back. But it was as a mother that Carol came into herself. She was 21 when Todd was born and 23 when Colleen arrived 26 months later, and from the beginning they were her everything. The family started in Beaverton and moved north near Sudbury in the 70s. It was a life-changing move. Lifelong friendships were forged and new friends became family. Successful businesses were created and Hill’s Island (the beloved family camp on Tyson Lake) was purchased. But truly home was wherever Carol was. Her houses instantly became homes under her hand, warm and welcoming, filled with love, energy, food and fun. Those who walked through the door became family. Her kids remember never knowing who they might meet at the breakfast table, because if someone needed a place to stay, Carol took them in—welcome to stay for a day or a year. Carol was a nurturer. Her babies, of course, but everything else as well—she could grow anything. People, plants, animals, community. She gave everyone the nourishment they didn’t even know they needed. She was an especially devoted dog lover, and each beloved pup was a part of her life and family. Cocoa continues to look for her every day. Carol’s two favourite places were home and camp—and she couldn’t wait for family and friends to arrive. She prepared amazing food, provided cozy beds with her homemade quilts and rock hard mattresses (good for your back!), and towels smelling sooooo good—dried on the line outside. Carol’s family is already panicking a bit, dreading running short of her homemade condiments and jams. But Carol was a teacher, too, so there is hope her skill can be replicated—all those she taught will remember her as they fill their own larders with her recipes of love. No one laughed louder than Carol. She filled the room with her sparkling presence. She loved life, the outdoors, and travel. She was an amazing driver and loved to be behind the wheel—taking corners better than most race car drivers. She took so many trips and loved them all. She had stories from summer trips in the family station wagon to the east coast and from the time she drove to Montreal when she was 16 with her sister. And stories from bigger adventures with Dave to Australia and New Zealand to visit one of her best friends, to Finland and Sweden and Lapland, Ireland and all across Canada. She loved her annual trips to Stratford and her yearly trips with her siblings. And of course Carol always made friends along the way because she chatted up everyone. Carol did work of every kind, guided by necessity and a can-do attitude. She was a computer programmer before it was cool, at Dave’s side doing the jobs no one else wanted to do, and she found the perfect role to end her career: counsellor at Lakeside Centre for Women. Caring for others, as usual. Carol’s faith was steady and strong, and kindness and giving shaped her world. Always the helper, the giver, not wanting to bother anyone. She was committed to community and felt an immense responsibility to make it better for everyone. A lifelong volunteer, she always put her hand up to help wherever help was needed the most. Lending a hand, baking cookies, making sandwiches, driving friends around. Giving life’s most precious commodities: her time, her kindness and her love wherever she went. She was forever putting others before herself—that’s just how she did things. Those around her felt safe, protected, loved—because Carol loved everyone exactly as they were. Her faith guided her life and she did her “homework” faithfully every night—her Bible study. Carol always found a way to make the most mundane task an interesting adventure. She drank of life, chatting, laughing and exploring with siblings, grandkids or great grand kids. She was the center of so many incredible lives, and she created so many exciting, warm and loving memories. No road was too long if it led to her family. Carol would drop everything whenever her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren or friends needed help. Up until the very end Carol was more concerned about the comfort and well being of her family than about her own. That’s who she was and how she lived her life. We were her greatest joy. Big Wheels was our home, our north star, our life guide, our mentor, our heartmender, our maker. She taught us all how to live and how to love, and we will miss her forever. Treasured aunt, precious cousin and devoted best friend to many. Our heartfelt thanks to Dr. Kearney, Dr. Yau, Charge Nurse Marie Therese, RNP Brett and all the nursing and support staff at Health Sciences North who cared for Mom with such compassion, respect and grace. Gratitude and love to Nurse Susan who was with Mom at the beginning and at the end and to the paramedics who made each journey as comfortable as they could. Sending our hearts to everyone who visited Mom while she was sick and for everyone’s enduring love and support from afar to all of us then and now. As per Carol’s wishes, cremation has taken place. There will be a Celebration of Life in the Spring as she didn’t want anyone travelling in bad weather. If family and friends wish, donations to the Canadian Cancer Society, Little Current United Church or Manitoulin Family Resources would be appreciated. The only thing Carol had asked for in her memory was for everyone to be kind to each other.