I first got to know Carole in the late 80s on Synod. Then and throughout the succeeding years, she remained as she had always been, enthusiastic, fun, effective and above all deeply committed to service to her Lord and to his Church.

Readers will know of Carole as a Synod member. Her employment was however as a medical statistician with Oxford University. Towards the end of her life, a lawyer at the Office of Fair Trading (where I work) asked me if I knew of any medical statisticians, to advise on a consumer protection case. I said amazingly I did. So Carole became our expert witness and I then saw her at work in the day job. She was impressive!

Carole was a member of many councils and working parties, where she was always diligent and proactive. The following gives a hint of the range of her work for the national church.

Ecumenical Council for Christian Unity, Baptist Union/C of E informal conversations, C of E representative on the Baptist Union Council
Ministry ABM committee for Ministerial Development and Deployment, Sarum and Wells Theological College governing body
Liturgical Liturgical Commission, several liturgical Steering Committees
Statistical Statistics Review Group
Church representation Elections Review Group

There was even more however.

Carole was editor of the Reader magazine for five years, which reflected her profound commitment to lay ministry and especially Reader ministry.

Finally, Carole was OSG’s secretary for nearly ten years and previous to that Editor of our Newsletter. When I was the group's Chair I came to appreciate Carole’s efficiency and dedication. Carole was determined to get things right such as our charitable status and our compliance with data protection regulations. She put me through my paces! But we always had a good laugh as well.

Carole responded to a call to the ordained ministry and so retired from Synod in 2005. She was deaconed at Michaelmas 2006 and then settled into life as a NSM curate in Reading. Regrettably within a few months, cancer returned and although there was talk of her being priested early, Carole was too unwell to go ahead with this. She remained active and lively towards the end, concerned to make sure that John, her husband, would be able to manage on his own.

Carole, the Church of God has great reason to be thankful for you. May you rest in peace and rise in glory!