Carol Oertle

One meaning of the name Carol is, Joyous Song. Carol turned out to be the perfect name for a woman full of both joy and music. She spread love and light, compliments and fun wherever she went. Carol was the firstborn child to Ward and Geraldine Gordon. She was born Dec.19, 1945, the year World War 2 ended. Five more siblings joined the Gordon family. According to a reliable source (younger brother Bob Gordon), Carol was a typical older sister, “large and in charge” growing up, but was also a loving sister and friend to her siblings.

In high school, along with being a good student and involved in choir, Carol was a flag girl, and voted “best legs” in her high school! She liked to dance and was very coordinated and also sewed all the uniforms for her team. (Her children wore Carol’s flag girl uniform often for Halloween.) At the ripe old age of 16, she met Rand Oertle. He was a dashing young man of 20 with a very cool car. Rand was smitten, but Carol’s dad knew she needed time to grow up. Rand went on an LDS mission. Carol went on to graduate a semester early from high school, attend a semester at BYU, and work at the Water and Power Building in Los Angeles. Upon his return, after a series of false starts, Rand and Carol were married on June 24, 1965. Carol was 19 and a half.

The Oertles lived in South San Gabriel, California where they began their family. Kristen Ann, Carol Noelle, Tiffany Suzanne, and Rand Gordon were born in California. Carol was active singing in a quartet for events around the community. Soon after Rand’s birth, the family moved to Idaho Falls where Rand started a job as a newscaster. Another son, Virgil Tyler, was born in Idaho. Carol met many wonderful friends and again performed with a quartet.

After a few years, the family moved to Redding, California. There, two more children arrived, Joshua Gage and Cassity Michelle, for a grand total of seven children. Carol was a loving, fun mother. She was a fabulous cook and seamstress. She created wonderful memories for her children, including taking them often to the Lake, making cinnamon suckers and gingerbread houses, teaching them to sew and bake, and encouraging family fun by playing Abba and the Big Bopper during chore time.

Most important to her was her dedication to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was a valiant member of the Church and worked hard to instill good values in her children. She instigated family morning scripture study and continued listening to scriptures on cassette tapes throughout her life. In Redding, she adored singing with a group called Sweet Adelines. It was one of her most happy times. She was involved in Sweet Adelines for 20+ years, continuing when the family moved to Utah. She made lifelong friends in Redding. They built a house and loved their beautiful 5 acre property for 15 years.

In late 1991, they moved to Springville, Utah. They created another amazing life here. Carol and Rand developed a business property along 1-15, surviving economic challenges together with hard work and smarts. Carol did sewing and mending for many customers over the years here in Springville. She organized photo albums for her children covering their lives. But more than any of these skills, she was probably best known as a kind, optimistic friend. One of her favorite things was meeting new friends and hearing about their lives. She loved everyone. She would tell of the wonderful new friends she had made, whether on a trip, at the grocery store, or the Doctor’s office.

Carol lived her final 34 years in Springville Utah. For the last 3 years of his life, she gave devoted care to her husband while he was weakening and bedbound. Rand died in 2020. She spent her last years visiting her children, going to the temple with friends and Wendell Eves, studying the scriptures, wrestling with hated paperwork, and loving family history. She died on her dad’s birthday, August 7th, 2025.

Her children will forever be blessed by her cheerful laugh, optimistic outlook, self-confidence, delicious food, kind mothering, never-ending compliments, and abiding testimony.