Obituary for Carole Clark Mathemeier
Memorial Services for Carole Clark Mathemeier will be held on Saturday, October 22, 2022, 10:30am at Asbury United Methodist Church, 101 Live Oak Blvd. Lafayette,LA.
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Carole Jean Clark, wife, mom,
grandma, sister, aunt, mother-in-law, and a dear friend to many.
Carole passed away in her sleep with family by her side on September 27th, 2022.
Carole was born on December 25, 1942, in Chicago, IL, to Bernard Clark and Harriet
Gruening. Carole grew up in Portland, OR and graduated from Jefferson HS in 1960.
Carole went on to Oregon State University where she was a member of Sigma Kappa
sorority and developed her love of singing. It was her singing at a friend’s wedding
that was the reason she met her husband of 54 years, Paul Mathemeier, who was a
fellow student at OSU.
Paul and Carole took the great wagon train south from Oregon to Lafayette in 1966.
Carole became an integral part of the southern Louisiana culture and social scene over
the next 50 years. Carole was a member of the Acadiana Opera Society performing in
Fiddler on the Roof and Music Man. She was also a big part of the Sweet Adeline’s
barbershop singing group. Through this group, Carole met the women and lifelong
friends who formed 3 Sharps and a Flatt (Letha Griffin, Audrey Courtright, and
Darlene Flatt) traveling the country bringing joy to all those who listened to their
music. Carole was a vital part of the Lafayette State Farm Insurance family, working
for Don Higginbotham, Wally Romero, and Earl Flatt, earning opportunities in
business rarely afforded women in the 1970’s-90’s. Asbury UMC was part of her
extended family for over forty years, where she could be found every Sunday with the
choir (as well as a soloist) – she enjoyed the holiday hymns and Asbury’s annual
performance of Handel’s The Messiah, which Paul always loved watching her
perform with the choir. She enjoyed sharing her love of travel with family and friends
visiting Europe, Mexico, the Caribbean, and most of the U.S. exploring culture and
history. Carole’s greatest attribute was as a wife, mom, and friend. Nobody will ever
forget her gourmet meals, social hours around the dinner table, nights at LaFondas,
Christmas cookies, her beautiful smile and voice, or wry sense of humor. As a mom,
there is and never will be anyone better. Somewhere “over the rainbow,” she is finding
peace with Paul.
Carole is preceded in death by her husband, Paul. She is survived by her brother Rick
Clark, her two sons, Jeff and Scott, daughter-in-law Chazzalynde, and her three
grandchildren, Julia, Eric, and Evangeline.
In lieu of flowers, please consider giving to Asbury’s Hearts and Hangers or the Choir.
These two organizations meant a lot to Carole.
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Carole Jean Clark, wife, mom,
grandma, sister, aunt, mother-in-law, and a dear friend to many.
Carole passed away in her sleep with family by her side on September 27th, 2022.
Carole was born on December 25, 1942, in Chicago, IL, to Bernard Clark and Harriet
Gruening. Carole grew up in Portland, OR and graduated from Jefferson HS in 1960.
Carole went on to Oregon State University where she was a member of Sigma Kappa
sorority and developed her love of singing. It was her singing at a friend’s wedding
that was the reason she met her husband of 54 years, Paul Mathemeier, who was a
fellow student at OSU.
Paul and Carole took the great wagon train south from Oregon to Lafayette in 1966.
Carole became an integral part of the southern Louisiana culture and social scene over
the next 50 years. Carole was a member of the Acadiana Opera Society performing in
Fiddler on the Roof and Music Man. She was also a big part of the Sweet Adeline’s
barbershop singing group. Through this group, Carole met the women and lifelong
friends who formed 3 Sharps and a Flatt (Letha Griffin, Audrey Courtright, and
Darlene Flatt) traveling the country bringing joy to all those who listened to their
music. Carole was a vital part of the Lafayette State Farm Insurance family, working
for Don Higginbotham, Wally Romero, and Earl Flatt, earning opportunities in
business rarely afforded women in the 1970’s-90’s. Asbury UMC was part of her
extended family for over forty years, where she could be found every Sunday with the
choir (as well as a soloist) – she enjoyed the holiday hymns and Asbury’s annual
performance of Handel’s The Messiah, which Paul always loved watching her
perform with the choir. She enjoyed sharing her love of travel with family and friends
visiting Europe, Mexico, the Caribbean, and most of the U.S. exploring culture and
history. Carole’s greatest attribute was as a wife, mom, and friend. Nobody will ever
forget her gourmet meals, social hours around the dinner table, nights at LaFondas,
Christmas cookies, her beautiful smile and voice, or wry sense of humor. As a mom,
there is and never will be anyone better. Somewhere “over the rainbow,” she is finding
peace with Paul.
Carole is preceded in death by her husband, Paul. She is survived by her brother Rick
Clark, her two sons, Jeff and Scott, daughter-in-law Chazzalynde, and her three
grandchildren, Julia, Eric, and Evangeline.
In lieu of flowers, please consider giving to Asbury’s Hearts and Hangers or the Choir.
These two organizations meant a lot to Carole.