Carol Tritschler

GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. — Carol Frances Heath Tritschler, 84, died Friday, Dec. 11, 2020, less than 48 hours after being diagnosed with COVID-19. She died at Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs, where she volunteered for years and in 2011 was named its Volunteer of the Year.

Carol was born in 1936 in Cape Girardeau and was the daughter of the late Walter "Chick" and Edith Heath, sister of the late Robert Heath and Barbara Heath LiVigni, and Pat A. Smith, who resides in Cape.

Carol was a 1954 graduate of Cape Girardeau Central High School.

She returned to Cape in 1970 to raise her three children, Troy Tritschler, now of Newcastle, Colorado; Lesley Conn of Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Lisa Suitor of Pensacola, Florida.

Her children, grandchildren and friends will remember her as their vigorous, unwavering champion; for her ferocious love of learning; for her bright-eyed enthusiasm; her ready, beautiful laugh; her spirit of adventure; and her generosity.

Carol was an interior designer at Rust & Martin, Sleepy Hollow and Arnold's furniture stores, then worked as a personal shopper and fashion consultant at Famous-Barr. Her last career move was to C.P. McGinty Jewelers. She also taught interior design at Cape Vo-Tech School. She later retired to Colorado.

She gave her children unwavering love and encouragement and fueled their imaginations. She taught them to explore the world through reading, art, music and travel. Early childhood memories are of blanket-draped secret forts, evening escapes to Baskin-Robbins and Waldenbooks, weekend recitals and skits performed at home, and piling in the bed together on Sunday mornings to giggle over comics, or later, to discuss politics and current events.

Seeing her children and grandchildren flourish was her life's reward. Her son, married 27 years to Grace Dungong Tritschler, is father to Skyler and Bryce and is a sought-after custom bicycle builder and ski technician. Daughter Lesley, married 24 years to William Conn, is a former newspaper and magazine editor and senior manager of research and analysis for the Space Foundation. Daughter Lisa has raised four children -- Lindsay Locke, Bobby Keith Locke and Rachel and Riley Dunegan, all of Florida. Lisa is an information technology consultant for the Florida Department of Health and dean and professor of theology at Covenant Bible College and Seminary in Pensacola. Granddaughter Lindsay gave Carol her only great-grandchild, Tristan James Brewer of Milton, Florida. She is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews.

Even into her final months, Carol supported several charities. In lieu of flowers, her family asks for donations to the Southeast Missouri Food Bank.

Farnum Holt Funeral Home of Glenwood Springs is in charge of arrangements.