Carole Eddings

Carole Anne Johnson Eddings of 1276 Oak Lane, Quakertown, PA, the fourth child conceived of the union of Chapman Custine Johnson, Sr., and Adelaide Lavinia Blackson Johnson, was born on April 30, 1945 in Abington Memorial Hospital, Abington, PA. She transitioned into eternal life with Christ on Thanksgiving morning, Thursday, November 26th, 2020. Carole, a long-time resident of Bucks County, Haycock Township, attended New Harrisburg School, Haycock Elementary School, and was a 1963 graduate of Quakertown Community Senior High School. Carole took modeling classes after high school and began her career at Philadelphia Electric Company (PECO - now Excelon) in 1966, as a Customer Service Representative. In 1967, Carole married John Henry Eddings of Philadelphia, PA., and from that union Jonathan Scott and Theodore David were born. Carole spent most of her early adult life after high school in Philadelphia, and retired to the family farm in Haycock township in 2002. There she spent her remaining years as resident trustee and caretaker; hoeing, mowing and pruning to her heart's content; pulling garden weeds, leaf raking, and cleaning barn stalls. You name it...whatever the task at 1276 Oak Lane, she was on it! She was the pillar of the Johnson family trust, securing the legacy left by her parents, devoting time and energy to making sure that the land remained intact. Carole's Dad, Chapman Johnson, Sr., modeled for his children the essence of "hard work bearing fruit," always a labor intensive effort. She was the epitome of that model...truly a good steward over all with which the creator had blessed her and her family. She and her husband enjoyed traveling with family and friends and were especially fond of cruise-line vacations, visiting tropical destinations; including Bermuda, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and locations around the Caribbean. Carole was preceded in death by John, her loving husband of 46 years. Carole was known for her beautiful smile, her no-nonsense disposition, and her active involvement in ministering to the less fortunate. She was committed to nurturing 50-year, lifelong friendships and regularly spent time with high school mates, church mates and work mates, attending lunch and dinner gatherings on an ongoing basis to commemorate the bonds created over the years. She was a consistent presence, always making the time to attend high-school reunions as a way of keeping in touch with what was going on in her classmate community. Carole also took the lead with coordinating family gatherings, family reunions, and filled the role of treasurer for the Blackson Family Reunion Committee. She was a major asset in organizing after-Sunday-morning-worship-service collations at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church of Applebachsville...following the Hebrews 10:25 (KJV) admonition of "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." She was an avid couponer, and just when you thought you had gotten a good deal, she would come along, flash a coupon, and get the same item for two, three, or sometimes five or ten dollars cheaper. She took advantage of every sale, and sent her sister Cecelia on countless missions to ensure her stockpile of goods never ran low. That stockpile benefited a myriad of agencies and organizations and afforded Carole the opportunity to serve those in need, reaching countless families. She was the epitome of frugal, yet she was generous with all that she had...and, her couponing skills were other-wordly, always bargain shopping and initiating use of a coupon to make it an even better deal. Carole's couponing system evolved from the paper chase to registering and coding purchases electronically that afforded her access to a point system, that gave her access to even greater savings - emphasizing the admonition for us to be good stewards over that which God has given us charge. She was also a committed Mary Kay Representative, and adorned her products, accordingly, further radiating an almost perfect skin tone and signature smile. And, if you're getting tired of reading about all of her involvement and accomplishments, think about what it was like having to watch this dynamo in action. The tendency was, when she was in earshot, not to complain about having too much on your plate. Carole surrendered her life to Christ in 1959, after a church-sponsored Haycock youth group outing to a Billy Graham Crusade in Philadelphia, PA, where she responded to the invitation from Evangelist Graham to commit her life to Christ. Carole attended Haycock Mennonite Church in her early years, under the ministry of Stanley Beidler, from which she gained a committed sense of caring and community. She made life-long friendships at both Haycock Mennonite Church and Summer Bible School, and of Camp Men-O-Lan camp mates (especially the Al Brown family), under the watchful eyes of camp administrators Al and Kass Detweiler. She was an active member of Eastwick United Methodist Church when she lived in Philadelphia. After moving back to the family farm in Haycock, she committed to St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church of Applebachsville as her church home, under Pastor David Heckler. She was an active force in the churches social programs and was an integral part of the Social Ministry Committee at St. Paul's. She, along with her social ministry committee members, spearheaded numerous special events, including hoagie sales and active participation in the church's biannual "Joyful Noise" concerts, geared toward fundraising for local food pantries. Special social ministry events she spearheaded included a successful 2019, 2800-pair shoe-drive collection that benefited the supply and demand of up-and-coming third-world country entrepreneurs seeking to establish businesses that would provide for themselves and their families. Carole also spearheaded, along with her lifelong friend and schoolmate Sascha Baringer, St. Paul's participation in "Operation Christmas Child" shoebox activities; a program that benefits the Samaritan's Purse program affiliated with the Franklin Graham ministry that touches nations worldwide, distributing toy-filled and other essential boxed items to children around the world. She was instrumental in helping her sister, Cecelia, collect and route clothing, school supplies, and other essentials to support the Dr. Herldleen Russell Ministries out of Upper Marlboro Maryland, which reaches out to the African nation of Uganda to dig wells, build hospital facilities, schools and educational complexes and support and "connect resources, both material and human, to the needs of individuals on a global scale." Carole also supported a host of organizations targeting the less fortunate, including: the Methodist Home for Children on Monument Road in Philadelphia, collecting and providing toys for distribution at Christmas time; the Quakertown Food Pantry, a regular volunteer as part of the St. Paul's support staff, providing help with distribution; the Aid for Friends (now Caring for Friends) philanthropic organization out of the Northeast, for which she spent many hours cooking, preparing, and packing breakfasts, homemade soups and dinners for distribution to the less fortunate. Every Wednesday, she and her husband John traveled over an hour to Eastwick UMC to expedite a clothing and food distribution bank that benefited local families and military retirees. She also worked tirelessly with her cousin, Eleanor White, to gather, sort, and subsequently support the efforts of the Purple Heart/Green Drop agency to provide necessities to clientele. With all of this, Carole found the time to devote herself to the "Big Sister" mentorship of Dawn Morgan of Philadelphia and to schedule weekly visits and special outings with her grandchildren. Though a woman of few words, Carole was appreciated for her direct style of communication. She allowed her acts of service to reveal her heart and to speak volumes in the lives of so many, both near and far. Carole was a woman of order and action; a true "do-er." She played a precious and essential role in all of the organizations she was affiliated with. Among her close family and friends, she was known to keep diligent records of birthdays and other special life events, and sent cards and remembrances for every occasion, always acknowledging the fact that you were important in her life. Carole was strong, determined and fiercely independent to the end. Her diagnosis in early 2019 of stage 4 ovarian cancer came as a shock to both her and her doctors, and sent close family members reeling. This health conscious, agrarian, non-smoking, non drinking almost-perfect specimen of a woman had somehow contracted a deadly disease which slowly overtook her five-foot-five frame, and after soldiering through a long and courageous battle, she succumbed. On Thanksgiving morning, Carole's battle was over. God in his infinite love, mercy, and wisdom, called Carole home. To those who knew and loved her, she was a shining light, reflecting the love and commitment to doing both God's Will as well as His Word, by fleshing out the commandment to "love one another." Carole's life was lived to honor Christ, and was truly a life poured out in dedication and service to others; and for this she will be genuinely missed. Carole is survived by two brothers, Richard and David Johnson, and two sisters, Cecelia Casey and Donna Watson. She leaves to mourn her loss two sons, Jonathan Scott Eddings (Quakertown) and Theodore David (Chanay) Eddings of Philadelphia; three stepsons, Steven James and Larry Batchelor, both of Philadelphia, Alex (Barbara) Eddings of Yeadon, PA; eight grandchildren, Amber (Hasani) Ellis (Los Angeles), John and Lisa Eddings (Philadelphia), Donavon Eddings (Nanticote, PA), Tatiana Eddings (Minnesota), Jadon and Jayla Eddings (Philadelphia), and Kiarri Andrews (Minnesota); and 3 great-grandchildren, Nia and Emery Ellis (Los Angeles) and Mahki Eddings of Minnesota. Carole also leaves to cherish her memory her dear sister and loving caretaker Cecelia, and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews and extended family and friends. A private family celebration of life will be held on Tuesday, December 8th at 12 noon. The service will be live streamed at 1PM. To honor Carole, in lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the "Caring for Friends" ministry https://caringforfriends.org/get-help/, which services the five counties in the greater Philadelphia area.