Carol Manahan

Carol Diethelm Manahan, 85, of Indian Road, passed away on Thursday, November 29, surrounded by her loving family. She was born July 29, 1927 to Rudolph A. Diethelm, MD, and Marie OReilly Diethelm in Toledo, Ohio. The second of three children, she grew up in a close knit Catholic family. Carols strong Catholic faith was further developed as a student of St. Angela Hall and St. Ursula Academy. She passed that tradition on to her daughters and four granddaughters who followed in her footsteps at St. Ursula. She attended Marymount College, Tarrytown, NY, and graduated from the University of Toledo in 1949. After graduation, she worked in the Veterans Services office at the University of Toledo. It was there that she caught the attention of a young man, Thomas J. Manahan, a native of Rochester, Minn, who was a student at the University of Toledo College of Law. Tom made several attempts to ask Carol out on a date, but she always had previous plans. She suggested he give her more notice as her schedule was busy. After his third try, Carol broke a date to go out with Tom. The rest is history as she married Tom, the love of her life, on September 30, 1950 at Gesu Church. Carol and Tom raised four children who all reside in Toledo. Her children were her priority and she was very involved in all their activities from sports to scouting and other school functions. She was active in her parish and in the Chappuis Society of St. Francis de Sales High School. Carol enjoyed playing tennis with her friends, Inverness Club members and her family. Vacations and family activities often included competitive tennis tournaments. She was active in the Black Acre Garden Club and as an Inverness bowler where she developed many friendships. A charter member of the Toledo Bar Association Auxiliary, she also developed lifelong friendships and remained close with Rosalyn Pizza, Phyllis Ide and Marie Vogt until her death. With these friends and other lawyers and spouses, Carol and Tom enjoyed many wonderful times. The families had very memorable trips, including those to Hawaii and London. From London, the Manahan family continued to travel on a week-long roots journey to Ireland that today is still rich with fond memories. Carol and her family enjoyed summers spent at Catawba Island that included cookouts on the deck and the grandchildrens favorite Fourth of July activities at Catawba Island Club that included sand castle contests and fireworks. She was preceded in death by her husband, Tom, in 1988; parents, Rudy and Marie; sister Beverly Diethelm LaDue and sister-in-law Helen Diethelm. She is survived by her children and their spouses: Michael; Marsha Tom Killam; Megan Russell Hurford; and Thomas Jr. Jane; and her grandchildren Courtney Cobb; Kaitlin, Caroline and Thomas P. Manahan; Brendan Manahan; Dana, Martha and Matt Killam; and brother James M. Diethelm, MD. Special thanks to her life-long friend Eileen Korhumel who continued to visit and deliver communion to her weekly. The family also would like to thank Carolyn and Theresa Vasko for their friendship and love, the caregivers at Sunset House, and the employees and physicians of Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center who provided an exceptional level of quality care and compassion to Carol and her family. Visitation will be on Sunday, December 2, 2012 at the Walker Funeral Home, 5155 Sylvania Ave. west of Corey Rd. from 2 pm until 8 pm. Prayers will be begin at 9:15 am on Monday, December 3, 2012 at the funeral home, followed by the funeral mass at GESU Catholic Church at 10 am. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to St. Ursula Academy, the Thomas J. Manahan Scholarship Fund at St. Francis de Sales High School and the Toledo Bar Association Foundation. Online condolences may be shared at walkerfuneralhomes.com.