Carlin DeWerff
Roxana |
Carlin J. (Lawver) DeWerff went home to the Lord, with her family by her side, on February 22, 2015.
She was born on August 13, 1945, in Chelsea, Oklahoma, to the late Carl Lawver, and Richard and Bernice (Buffington) Randolph. Our mom was sincerely proud of her Buffington family roots and the Cherokee heritage, and deeply adored the trips she took back to Oklahoma.
On November 13, 1965, Carlin and Laurence P. DeWerff Jr. joined hands in marriage, in Alton, Illinois. Their thirty years together brought three beautiful children, and together they founded MEDCO Ambulance Service in July 1973. Their dream of helping others forever changed the Greater Alton area, and introduced an "emergency rooms" on wheels. She had an active and highly creative imagination, and with that brought a love for arts and crafts. She enjoyed learning new artistic techniques with her mother and best friend, Bernice, and in 1990, Mom created and patented an original creation, a doll, named Kristi Kurls. Together, she and her mother started Kristi Kurls & Friends, a collection of original handmade crafts, dolls, and paintings. She enjoyed sharing in that creativity with her children and grandchildren, and enjoyed the opportunity to teach what she knew. In addition, she was very proud of the time she served on the Board of Trustees for the Roxana Public Library, serving alongside one of her very dear friends. Being a compassionate person and extraordinarily kind to those in need, she dedicated 15 years of service to BJC-Graham Medical Center, retiring in 2013, where she also gained many beautiful and lasting friendships in which our mom genuinely treasured. Throughout all of her travels, our mom's true passion has always rested within every child that passed through her door. Her kind, loyal and caring heart could ease each of those children, in some way, and that always brought her an immeasurable amount joy.
Carlin is survived by her three children; Lori DeWerff-Garvin (Keith Brigman) of Frederick, Colorado, Steven M. DeWerff of Caseyville, Illinois, and Kristin L. (DeWerff) Jones (Andrew Robinson) of Wood River, Illinois. From her three children, she was given, what she considered her greatest joys, to whom she was more than just "grandma"; Erica (Garvin) and Curtis Paulfrey of East Alton, Marcus and Bailie Garvin of Wood River, Hannah (Garvin) and Siegfried Van Der Wee of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Sarahanne Garvin and Dustin Parker of Moberly, Missouri, Lukus Garvin of Roxana, Alyssa Reilly of Frederick, Colorado, Andrew Kayser of Alton, and "the best Mawmaw ever" to Mary Jane Melanie Jones of Wood River. She was also blessed with three beautiful great-grandchildren; Ethan Paulfrey, Callie Anne Parker, and Ariana Van Der Wee. All of whom she loved so completely. She is also survived by Laurence P. DeWerff Jr. and his wife Marie of Moro, Illinois; as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, and other extended family.
Visitation will be Thursday, Feb. 25 at Paynic Home for Funerals from 4 p.m. until services begin at 6 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Village of Roxana Beautification Fund in her name.
Online guestbook is available at www.paynicfh.com
Paynic Home for Funerals
