Carol Routt Caldwell

June 25, 1949 - January 15, 2022

Carol Routt Caldwell, 72, passed peacefully from this life surrounded by her family. Carol was the third child of Covert and Wini Routt of Sonora. After graduating from East Hardin High School in 1967 she attended Western Kentucky University and the University of Kentucky. After graduation she tried teaching 5th grade and enjoyed the experience but took the opportunity to take a job at Ft. Knox at better pay. While working there she met Mike Caldwell, a lieutenant from Texas and they were married November 28, 1975, and moved to Texas where he farmed with his father. Carol was a teacher, teaching both Special Education and Art during her career. She first taught at G.C. Burkhead in 1971, then as an Education Specialist at The Armor School at Ft. Knox, then in Texas at schools in Pampa and Amarillo before returning to Burkhead in 1977 until retiring in 2000. Retirement didn't suit Carol so she returned to teaching part-time at Burkhead until 2001when she returned to full-time teaching at Lincoln Trail until 2008. She then taught at Morningside 2008-2012 when she became a regular substitute teacher for both Lincoln Trail and Morningside until she did retire in 2019 after nearly 40 of teaching in public schools. Carol loved animals and combined her love of teaching with her love of horses and operated an Equine Therapy program for special needs students for several years. Survivors include her husband, Mike, and their two sons, Drew (and Carol's adored daughter-in-law, Monica) of Saratoga Springs, New York and Zac of Glendale. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother Bill Routt (Marilyn), his two children and their three grandchildren. She is survived by Jim (Donna) of Sonora, their two children and four grandchildren, and David (Toni) of Greensboro, North Carolina, their two children and two grandchildren. She will also be missed by the 21 grandchildren of Mike's six siblings and numerous Special Friends all across America. She would prefer that any memorials be spring bulbs to be planted in her flower circle at their new house on Mud Splash Road or donations to The Friends of Hardin County Animal Shelter. She chose to be cremated and a memorial service will be scheduled this spring when her friends can gather and tell the stories of her life and scatter her ashes on the hillside where her horses are buried .