Caroline Peck

Caroline was born in Regina, Saskatchewan to Helen and Carl Webb (alias). She was adopted by John and Gladys after the death of her mother, Helen, at age 5. Caroline grew up on the farm in Rouleau with Maxine and Gordon, sisters Barbara and Maurine nearby, and attended the Cunard school. She followed her mother’s footsteps into nursing. She graduated from the Grey Nuns in 1954 and at the flip of a coin was off to California to start a new life and a new career. She met John and they married in 1957.

 

Caroline, always ahead of her time, chose to be a working mom and continued nursing while raising two young daughters. They moved to Santa Clara, CA and opened their business providing coffee and donuts and she added her personal touch, her gift for connecting with people. The family moved to Placerville in 1965 and opened a new donut shop where Caroline served coffee all day and talked with each and every customer who loved their daily visit. Caroline went back to nursing after she attended the University of California, Davis to earn a specialty credential in Cardiac Nursing. She subsequently earned the position of Director of Nursing at Marshall Hospital in Placerville CA.

 

In 1975 the time came to move back to Canada and help farm the family land. However, Caroline was not finished nursing quite yet and promptly started working at the newly built Plains Health Centre in Regina. She held the positions of Assistant Director of Clinical Nursing in several units including her favorite, the Emergency Room. After 45 years of patient care, numerous back injuries forced Caroline to retire in 1997. She would always miss nursing and all the friends she had made during her time at the Plains.

 

Caroline’s nursing skills came in handy many times in Rouleau. She was the first person many people called when there was an emergency. She was always available for scraped knees, high fevers, chest pain, strange rashes and another, often forgotten part of nursing, a good talk. Most famously, Caroline took part in the rescue of 2-year-old Karley who many may remember. Caroline’s actions helped save Karly’s life despite her core body temperature being the lowest ever recorded up until that point. For this, Caroline was globally recognised as a hero.

 

Indeed, during retirement she was not idle but embraced her wanderlust. She travelled the world, ending up in places like the Taj Mahal in India, traveling along the Rhine in Germany, attending a traditional wedding procession in China, drinking cervezas on the beach in Mexico and welcoming her first great granddaughter to the world in Singapore.

 

Caroline had two children, Helen and Barbara, and welcomed another daughter, Sara, into her heart in 1977. She was a special mother who revelled in her daughters’ successes and felt each disappointment. She modelled and encouraged independent thought and spirit in her daughters and she showed her love through generosity and compassion. Caroline had a special place in her heart for Leah and she was always thankful for her Donna-Mae.

 

Caroline is survived by daughters: Barbara (Ron), Sara (Marlon); grandchildren Angela (Jeremiah), Jonathan (Sophia), Brian and Cory; great-grandchildren Eli, Max, Veda, Grant, Wade, Warren, Rhett, Chase and Dylan; sister Maurine; several nieces, nephews and their families. She was predeceased by her parents John and Gladys Rogers, her birth parents Helen and Carl Webb (alias); husband John; daughter Helen; siblings Maxine, Barbara and Gordon.

 

There are no goodbyes, wherever you are, you will always be in our hearts. (Ghandi)