Carol Joyce Hood

Carol Joyce Hood, 74, of Loves Park, passed away surrounded by her family on October 23, 2008 in Neighbors Care Center in Byron, IL, after a long battle with cancer. Born December 10, 1933 in Rolfe, Iowa, the daughter of Leon and Caroline (Sandvig) Ralph. At the age of three she moved to a farm between Mallard, IA and West Bend, IA. Carol graduated from Mallard High School in 1952. She also played on the Mallard Girls Basketball State Championship team. During high school she was also involved with band and Glee Club. After graduation she worked for Bell Telephone Company as a telephone operator in Storm Lake, IA and Pocahontas, IA. She married Bernard Hood on July 11, 1953 in Scared Heart Church in Pocahontas, IA. They moved to the Rockford, IL area in 1956 and worked at Shumway Seed Company and in the purchasing department at Ingersoll Milling Company. Carol was also a member of West Suburban Fire Department Womens Auxiliary for several years. They moved back to Mallard, IA in 1994 to help take care of her aging mother. They again returned to the Rockford area in late 2007 to be close to her family. Carol is survived by her husband Bernard, children Christine (Roy) Wahlgren, Sandwich, IL; Patrick (friend Peggy) Hood, Winnebago, IL; Mary Kay (Richard) Nelson, Loves Park, IL; Jane (Steve) Shock, Rockford, IL and Jim (Tammy) Hood, Machesney Park, IL. Nine grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. Sisters Mary Jane Lavender, Fort Dodge, IA; Zoe Shimer, Rockford, IL; Linda (Bill) Courter, Jolly, IA; Leone (Mark) Hoffman, Eldon, MO; Nancy (Jim) Kacmarynski, Mallard, IA and brother and sister-in-laws Bill and Joann Hood, Yuma, AZ. Carol is predeceased by her parents Leon and Caroline Ralph, Hattie and Rene Hood, Rolfe, IA; Ben Lavender, Merlin Shimer and Don and Dorothy Hood. The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff at Neighbors Care Center for all the care and kindness they have given to our family.Funeral Service will be Saturday, October 25, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. in Fitzgerald Funeral Home amp; Crematory, Mulford Chapel, 1860 S. Mulford Rd., Rockford. Visitation will be from 9:00 a.m. until time of service. Interment in Calvary Catholic Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials can be made to the family. To express condolences online please visit www.fitzgeraldfh.com.