Carol M. Kraft 

(Pearson, Czarnecki) 

Carol Mae Kraft was born on June 17, 1944, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, at St. Joseph’s Hospital to Ruben and Lucille. Her arrival at 11:50 p.m., just ten minutes before Father’s Day, became a cherished family story and an early reflection of the lively spirit she carried throughout her life. Carol was blessed with three daughters: two daughters with her first husband, Stephen Robert Pearson, and one daughter with Dale Timothy Czarnecki, whom she later married. She was also one of three sisters. 

Carol began kindergarten at Fernwood Grade School at age five and attended Sacred Heart for first grade. Her elementary school years were difficult and shaped by strict experiences with the Franciscan nuns, yet those challenges became part of the story that formed her strength, humor, and resilience. After graduating from eighth grade in 1958, Carol attended St. John’s Cathedral High School, where she played saxophone in the band for two years and was involved in the Legion of Mary and the Library Club. She graduated in 1962. During high school, she worked part time at Gimbels Department Store, doing light office work such as filing sales checks and answering phones. 

After graduating from St. John’s Cathedral High School, Carol worked as a legal secretary at several Milwaukee law firms, both part time and full time, over the next ten years while attending the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. 

Carol graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a double major in Secondary English and Secondary Education and a minor in Philosophy. She graduated summa cum laude, was inducted into Phi Kappa Phi, and finished in the top five percent of her graduating class. Carol began teaching immediately in Waukesha Public Schools, where she spent the next 34 years before retiring at the end of the 2010–2011 school year. Throughout her career, she taught middle school students in seventh, eighth, and ninth grades. 

Carol continued her education and earned a Master of Science in Teaching degree from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in 1988. Her dedication to teaching left a lasting impression on many students, several of whom stayed in touch with her over the years. In a meaningful full-circle moment, one of her former students later became her primary care doctor. 

Carol met and married Dale Czarnecki in 1984, and their daughter, Holly, was born on January 3, 1986. Carol and Dale divorced in 1991. Carol then devoted herself to raising Holly, continuing her education, and embracing opportunities to travel. While teaching and caring for her family, she earned 36 additional credits beyond her master’s degree, reflecting her lifelong love of learning and personal growth. 

Carol’s travels took her to Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, Jordan, Israel, Egypt, Saint Lucia, the Dominican Republic, Turks and Caicos, and Mexico. During one trip to Italy and France, she became friends with Father Luke, a Capuchin priest who served as the tour’s spiritual director. One of the most meaningful experiences of Carol’s life was helping distribute Holy Communion at the Vatican during one of Father Luke’s Masses. That same journey included a pilgrimage to Lourdes, France, where Carol was immersed in the waters associated with St. Bernadette. The experience made a deep and lasting impression on her, and Lourdes remained a place of great comfort and spiritual significance. 

During Carol’s cancer journey, she was able to return to Lourdes with Holly and her family. The trip was especially meaningful because Carol was still undergoing chemotherapy for glioblastoma brain cancer. With love and determination, Holly pushed her mother in a wheelchair throughout the pilgrimage so Carol could fully take part in the experience. Carol, Holly, and the entire family were immersed in the waters at Lourdes and received special blessings, creating a treasured memory of faith, care, and togetherness. 

Carol will be remembered for her intelligence, resilience, deep Catholic faith, love of learning, and devotion to her family. Her life was enriched by the students she taught, the places she traveled, the friendships she cherished, and the spiritual experiences that brought her comfort and peace. Those who knew Carol will carry forward the memory of her strength, humor, curiosity, and enduring love. 

Carol is survived by her daughter, Holly De Jong, and Holly’s husband, Arnold; her grandchildren, Noah, Paxton, and Rhys De Jong; and Austin Williams and her sisters Judith Kraft and Kristin Garsombke. 

Visitation will be from 1 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. at St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 305 S. 1st Street in Waterford, Wisconsin followed by Mass of Christian Burial at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.