I came across this obituary of a former South Milwaukeean today, and I love it. I’m happy to share it here, and ask you to share it too.
From it …
The Fearless and Unstoppable Dr. Carol.
Dr. Carol B Whitmoyer DVM age 92 of Boulder City, NV passed away peacefully on December, 22 2024 in Henderson NV. Carol was born in South Milwaukee, WI to Horace and Helen Brien Beitzel. From a very young age, Carol knew she wanted to be a veterinarian. Carol graduated from South Milwaukee High School with honors in 1950. Instead of doing the norm for the time and becoming a homemaker, Carol pursued her veterinary dreams, earning her bachelor’s degree in 1954 from Michigan State College and her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Michigan State University in 1956. She was the only woman in her class and the first woman to receive her full Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Michigan State University.
After college Carol lived in Kansas, Florida Everglades and Utah before moving to Boulder City, NV in 1962. That same year “Dr. Carol” opened her practice, Boulder Animal Hospital. She was a founding board member of the Clark County Health District (now known as Southern Nevada Health District). In November, 1962 Carol adopted her son Paul and In September of 1963 adopted her son, Danny.
For 38 years Dr. Carol was Boulder City’s veterinarian and 30 of those years she was the only veterinarian. Dr. Carol loved being a veterinarian! It was her passion from childhood. She loved animals and would do whatever it took to help them and their owners in a time of need.
In the early years, Dr. Carol did both large and small animals in her practice. She took care of any animal in need of help even taking care of some exotics from snakes to orangutans and even a baby elephant. Carol spent a lot of time at the corrals riding her horses and taking care of their, and everyone else’s veterinary needs until large animal specialist veterinarian became available. She then switched her practice to small animals.
She considered herself very fortunate to have an occupation that she loved so much!
Dr. Carol was always up for an adventure! Her love for the outdoors and traveling is well-known. From week long backpack trips in the backcountry of Yosemite when her family was young, to canoe trips in the Boundary Waters and Yellowstone, or wherever else she could paddle a canoe. It’s hard to count how many white-water river trips she took down the Green, Colorado River through the Grand Canyon and so many more, many of them rowing or paddling her own boat. Dr. Carol was an avid scuba diver until her late 70s. She would do live aboard dive boats for a week (before they were even popular) and dove a lot of the top dive spots in the world.
She loved gardening and her backyard showed it. Photography was another passion. She had some of her flower photos published in a Southwest desert wildflower book. One of her many adventures was hiking coast to coast across England with her sisters, Helen, Sally and brother-in-law, Ron.
Dr. Carol retired in 2000 and instead of slowing down she turned it up! She continued to do more of everything. She was away more than she was home. She was off on African photos safaris, more diving, Hawaii, Europe, India, Costa Rica, Cayman Islands, Canada, Mexico, Australia, and so many more places, wherever else she thought she needed to see. People would ask not how is she, but where is she now? She ran the white water of the Pacuare river in Costa Rica along with an eight-stage zip line at age 85. Dr. Carol never passed on an adventure, even if she had to go by herself. She would always say, “do it while you can because you never know when you’re not going to be able to.” Words to live by!
Words to live by, indeed.
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