Carole E. Humphrey

Carole Elizabeth Humphrey, 86, resident of Willow Valley Retirement Community, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was called home to God on November 4, 2024 after a three and a half year battle with dementia. She was born in Pittsburgh, PA, the daughter of the late Owen S. Cecil, Jr and Margaret Cecil. She is survived by her husband, Nathan T. “Ty” Humphrey, Jr. of Lancaster; brother, Owen S. Cecil, III of MI; daughter, Lisa Cundey of NJ; son-in-law, Douglas Husak; granddaughters, Olivia Dawson of OR, and Lucy Dawson of DC. She was preceded in death by her son, Jeffrey Vaughan. Carole’s early family life in Pittsburgh is something she enjoyed talking about well into her later years. From a soap opera she and her mother listened to regularly, she adopted the nickname “Pepper” for her baby brother, Owen III. Vacations with the Cecil family took Carole to such distant places as Canada’s Oastler Lake and North Carolina’s Outer Banks. She enjoyed travel from the start and boldly ventured alone to Florida in the 1950s to visit relatives on her mother’s side. Throughout her life, Carole kept the family’s fabric alive with faithful letter-writing, whether it was to talk about vacations with Ty and the children or to offer support to distant family and friends. A deep faith in God carried her through difficult trials. Carole enjoyed sharing her inner source of strength with others. She attended Avalon High School in Ben Avon Heights, PA, and Baldwin Wallace College in Berea, OH. Before moving to Willow Valley she resided in Lakewood, OH, Morton, IL, Westfield, NJ, and Charlotte, NC. She worked in Human Resources for Oakite Products in Berkeley Heights, NJ, and as an Executive Assistant for Franceschi Architects in Charlotte, NC. Carole was a member of St. John’s Episcopal Church, Lancaster. She was a member of several quilting guilds over the years in NC and Lancaster. She was an avid reader, loved to knit, needlepoint, embroider, and quilt, and left behind many excellent examples of her craft. She had a fondness for Kennebunkport, ME, and Pawleys Island, SC. We would be remiss if we did not offer a special acknowledgment of the love and care shown to Carole by the staff of the Glen during her time at Cedarbrook Memory Care facility. Relatives and friends are invited to attend Carole’s Memorial Service at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 321 W. Chestnut St., Lancaster, PA on Saturday, February 1, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. with Rev. Amanda Knouse officiating, refreshments will be served after the service. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Carole’s name to Matthew J. Brunner Nursing Education Fund at Willow Valley or to Caring Hospice, 101 Good Drive, Lancaster, PA 17603.