Carol Joy Blaney Tully was born to Anton and Joy Hookanson on June 26, 1930 in Los Angeles, California.
Camping and hiking in Yosemite with her mother and father as she grew up gave Carol a fondness for travel and adventure. She also studied piano and violin, becoming an accomplished musician on both instruments. Her love of music would remain with her throughout her life. Carol learned the details of business from working at the commercial laundry managed by her father.
As a child Carol delighted in dance. She ballroom danced her way throughout high school, on into college, and for many happy years thereafter. It was in high school dance lessons that she met and danced with the first love of her life, George Blaney. Later in Carol’s first year at UCLA, she was stunned to find that the dashing and one-year younger George was a caretaker and cook at the UCLA Masonic Club where she attended dances and dinners.
Carol and George were married in August of 1952 in Santa Monica, California.
Carol and George were blessed with two sons, Roger in 1957 and Jeff in 1959. Carol was a devout and active member of the St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Whittier, California, St. Columba’s Episcopal Mission in Big Bear, California and Emmanuel Parish Episcopal Church of Orcas Island, Washington.
Carol was a very busy mother and homemaker from July 1957 to 1976 as she served not only her church in many executive positions, but the boys’ school PTAs, the Whittier Panhellenic Association and also as Elections Board Inspector for many years.
Another of Carol’s great loves was singing, and her crystal-clear and powerful soprano voice was a welcome addition to her church choirs. She was a skillful violinist and enjoyed her years of rehearsing and concert performance with her beloved Island Sinfonia friends.
Carol received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from UCLA in 1952. She worked as a Speech Therapist, and in 1976 returned to work full time as Office Manager at Olson Electronics in Whittier. In 1977 Carol moved to take the first of many positions, from Membership Officer to Assistant Treasurer at Courts and Records Federal Credit Union in Los Angeles.
Carol lost her George in a tragic automobile accident in 1982. It was later at the credit union that Carol met the witty and charming Bob Tully. Carol and Bob married and enjoyed camping, dancing and traveling until his passing in 2009.
Carol and George brought sons Roger and Jeff to Orcas Island and camped in Moran State Park many times over the years, starting in the 1970s while the boys were growing up. Carol and Bob’s choice to settle on Orcas Island was “meant to be,” as Carol said often. They were enchanted with the beauty and peacefulness, and fond of their great view of Cascade Bay and the neighboring islands. They took great interest in their community and experienced much joy in the camaraderie of good friends and neighbors.
A memorial service is to be held at Emmanuel Episcopal Parish Church on Orcas Island on Jan. 20, 2012 at 1 p.m. Carol’s family hopes that her many friends from Orcas Island and beyond will be in attendance.
Carol is survived by her son Roger Blaney and his wife Carolyn Jacobs and their sons Bryce and Evan; son Jeff Blaney and his partner Amy Foldesi; stepdaughter Mary Tully Gabrielson, stepdaughter Alice Tully Pirtle and her husband Randy, and their two children Laura and Bryan.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Carol’s name to Emmanuel Episcopal Church of Orcas Island, and the family in particular would like to request donations of the gift of blood in Carol’s name, in deep gratitude for the life-giving possibilities that others gave Carol during the final stages of her leukemia.
Submitted by Carol Tully’s family.
