Carol Viola Harlacher

In memory of Carol Viola Harlacher

October 29, 1941 – July 13, 2022

Carol Viola Harlacher passed away peacefully in her home in Sun Lakes, Arizona on July 13, 2022 after 8 decades of an eventful and experience-filled life’s journey. Carol had a passion for life and simply loved exploring new things.  Her penchant for traveling, growing roses, rescuing greyhounds, arts/crafts and making new friends will always be cherished. In addition, Carol’s love of RVing included her spending more than a decade “on the road” enjoying an RV lifestyle with Glen Eugene Harlacher while visiting friends, exploring their favorite foods, wines…and always stopping to play bingo or finish an art project.

Carol was born in

Los Angeles, California

to parents Melvin Burnett Jeter and Nettie Mitchell Jeter. Carol had one sister, Grace, and one brother, Melvin. Carol spent her early years learning dance, acting, tap dancing and modeling while pursuing a high school diploma. Carol took pride in acting in roles that included Miracle on

34th Street

and becoming one of May Company’s first African-American models after the department store sought to widen its appeal to women across color lines. Carol graduated from Dorsey High School and was soon after married to Henry Leon Thompson, a union that produced three children, Rhonda, Jeffrey and David.  While that union ended after twelve years, Carol’s commitment to being a dedicated mother never did. In 1978, Carol married Glen Eugene Harlacher, a union that spanned forty-four years until Glen’s passing in 2021. While Carol and Glen decided not to have children, Carol helped raise Glen’s two children, Lori and Bryon along with her own.

In addition to being a full-time mother, Carol always had an entrepreneurial spirit, having owned a beauty salon in Orange, California in the 1980’s, and dabbled in other ventures such as Amway, Nikken and Tupperware over the years. Upon Glen and Carol’s retirement, they sold their home, purchased an RV and spent more than a decade on the road exploring the continental United States –  Carol would always cite this period as the most enjoyable years of their lives.

Carol will be missed by many and is survived by her children: Rhonda, Jeffrey, Lori, David and Bryon,  her sister Grace, sons-in-law Brian & Michael, daughters-in-law Diiehma and Nicole, grandchildren Jasmine, Aaron, Brittany, Morgan, Alexis, Kendall, Devin, and many friends.

Carol will truly be missed.

Thank you all for your kind and heartfelt sympathies during this time of loss.

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Carol Viola Harlacher passed away peacefully in her home in Sun Lakes, Arizona on July 13, 2022 after 8 decades of an eventful and experience-filled life’s journey. Carol had a passion for life and simply loved exploring new things.  Her penchant for traveling, growing roses, rescuing greyhounds, arts/crafts and making new friends will always be cherished. In addition, Carol’s love of RVing included her spending more than a decade “on the road” enjoying an RV lifestyle with Glen Eugene Harlacher while visiting friends, exploring their favorite foods, wines…and always stopping to play bingo or finish an art project.

Carol was born in

Los Angeles, California

to parents Melvin Burnett Jeter and Nettie Mitchell Jeter. Carol had one sister, Grace, and one brother, Melvin. Carol spent her early years learning dance, acting, tap dancing and modeling while pursuing a high school diploma. Carol took pride in acting in roles that included Miracle on

34th Street

and becoming one of May Company’s first African-American models after the department store sought to widen its appeal to women across color lines. Carol graduated from Dorsey High School and was soon after married to Henry Leon Thompson, a union that produced three children, Rhonda, Jeffrey and David.  While that union ended after twelve years, Carol’s commitment to being a dedicated mother never did. In 1978, Carol married Glen Eugene Harlacher, a union that spanned forty-four years until Glen’s passing in 2021. While Carol and Glen decided not to have children, Carol helped raise Glen’s two children, Lori and Bryon along with her own.

In addition to being a full-time mother, Carol always had an entrepreneurial spirit, having owned a beauty salon in Orange, California in the 1980’s, and dabbled in other ventures such as Amway, Nikken and Tupperware over the years. Upon Glen and Carol’s retirement, they sold their home, purchased an RV and spent more than a decade on the road exploring the continental United States –  Carol would always cite this period as the most enjoyable years of their lives.

Carol will be missed by many and is survived by her children: Rhonda, Jeffrey, Lori, David and Bryon,  her sister Grace, sons-in-law Brian & Michael, daughters-in-law Diiehma and Nicole, grandchildren Jasmine, Aaron, Brittany, Morgan, Alexis, Kendall, Devin, and many friends.

Carol will truly be missed.

Thank you all for your kind and heartfelt sympathies during this time of loss.