Carol Luce Duddles, age 96 of Lake City passed away Wednesday, July 02, 2014 at the Belle Oakes Living Center.

She was born December 25, 1917 in Forest Township, Missaukee County to Benjamin and Olive (Randall) Shetenhelm.

Carol graduated from Lake City High School in 1935 and earned her County Normal degree in 1938. She married her high school sweetheart, Frank Luce on August 6, 1939. For a time she balanced her life; being a wife and mother. Then she began pursuing her love of the classroom at several Missaukee County Schools and North Lake City before becoming a first grade teacher at the Lake City Elementary School. She went on and furthered her education by graduating from Central Michigan University in 1963 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education. Her husband Frank preceded her in death October 10, 1971. Carol lived her dream of always wanting to be a teacher and she retired after 33 years of spreading her love of learning to so many Lake City area children.

Carol remarried on February 8, 1975 to Dwight Duddles and he preceded her in death August 5, 1981.

She was the longest living member of the Lake City United Methodist Church. She was also active as a Sunday school teacher at the Free Methodist Church in Lake City.

Carol had been a 4-H leader for 25 years, a member of the Michigan Farm Bureau and had served on the Wexford Missaukee County Family Independent Agency for 15 years. She held a life membership with the Michigan County Social Services Association.

She was 1st runner up in the 1974 Michigan Mother of the Year contest, sponsored by the American Mother Committee.

Carol enjoyed traveling; visiting all the states in America and had spent her winters in Florida for almost 40 years.

She is survived by her children: Bethel (Rex) Root of Manton, Ann (Dave) Johnston of Brooklyn, Tom (Barbara) Duddles of Lake City, Roger Duddles of Lake Orion and Charles (Judi) Duddles of LaMesa, California. Seventeen grandchildren, twenty one great grandchildren and two great great grandchildren also survive her.
She was preceded in death by a son Charles Benjamin Luce in 1978 as well as one sister and five brothers.

She will be most remembered by her love of God, love for her family and her passion for teaching and touching the lives of her “kids” in the classroom.

Funeral services will be held 11:00 am, Saturday, July 5, 2014 at the Lake City United Methodist Church with Rev. Larry Shetenhelm and Rev. Jean Smith officiating. A time of visitation will begin at 10:00 am at the church until the time of service.

Burial will take place in the Lake City Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the Lake City United Methodist Church.

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