Carole Frost - August 17, 1941-August 10, 2007. In reflecting on this remarkable woman, it must first be said that Carole was larger than life. She was fully invested in every endeavor she undertook, bringing zest and vigor to both her personal and professional life.

One of Carole's great passions was Hospice. Her vision and hard work brought first-rate, community based Hospice services to Madison and Carroll counties. In 1988 she started a Hospice with the hospital in Huntsville. After the hospital closed in 1992, Carole approached the Berryville hospital and with their support opened a new Hospice in January of 1993.

For most of that first year Carole worked tirelessly to establish the Carroll General Hospice, as it was then named, in both Arkansas and Missouri counties. Assisted by only four other interdisciplinary team members, Carole served as the Hospice's director, secretary, policy writer, billing manager, community educator, staff trainer, nurse's aide and most significantly the Hospice nurse. She saw all of the patients in both Arkansas and Missouri and was on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! Throughout it all she remained enthusiastic, optimistic and succeeded in imparting her vision to her team. As a leader she was decisive and fearless.

She was also instrumental in establishing a Medical Ethics Committee at the Berryville hospital and served as its Chairperson until 2004. During these years she became a trainer for EPEC, a program which is sponsored by the American Medical Association to train health care providers in the broad spectrum of holistic end of life care. She assisted the Community Alliance in Springfield, MO in developing a training curriculum on end of life care designed specifically for nursing assistants. In the late 90's she began managing the Home Health and Medical Equipment Departments as well. St. John's Hospice, as it is known today, has continued to prosper upon the foundation she built.

As you listen to this litany of amazing accomplishments, you might get the impression that Carole was all work and no play. NO WAY! Her personal life was even more dynamic than her work life! She was devoted to her family, especially her beloved Bill. Together they traveled the world, living out adventures that most people only fantasize about. When the kids were grown, she and Bill pulled up their roots and took off together on their sailboat for island living. After returning to Arkansas they vacationed in exotic places like Chile, Portugal, Morocco, Spain, Costa Rica, Mexico, as well as traveling here in America. They climbed volcanoes, hiked mountain trails, combed beaches, explored ethnic market places and art galleries. They fully experienced the places they visited and Carole's adventure stories were always inspiring.

When not on vacation or at work, another of Carole's pastimes was to help Bill with his amazing restoration, remodeling and building projects in the Eureka Springs area. She added Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper to her daily list of "to do's" for a year or two. She was an artist, creating beautiful paintings that graced their home. She was an extraordinary cook who loved to share recipes and "talk food" with her friends. Her flair for home decorating made anywhere they lived feel like a cozy retreat that blended perfectly with its surroundings. She had a love and appreciation for nature that was reflected in the beautiful gardens she and Bill created. As a matter of fact, she regularly invited her Hospice Team to her home for day retreats to rest, relax, and enjoy sumptuous food Bill prepared on the grill. No "shop talk" was allowed while lounging around the pool! She did this to rejuvenate the team. She was an advocate for and model of good self care. When she was at work she was at work, when she was home she was fully at home.

Perhaps the most amazing thing about Carole is that she made all of this seem perfectly normal! This was just the rhythm of her life, she was at ease with it and it was no big deal. It is upon reflection that one must ask, "How in the world did she DO all these things"? But that was Carole. She could somehow balance her incredible drive at work and all that she accomplished there with her love of home and family. She cherished her children and grandchildren, and one only had to be in the room when Carole and Bill were together to know they were the love of each other's lives.

Those who had the privilege to know Carole and work with her will never forget her. She will be dearly missed and warmly remembered by her family, friends, and those whose lives she touched.

A memorial celebration of Carole's life will be held on Thursday, August 30th at the Gaslight Inn in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. The gathering will begin at 5:30 with the service to commence at 6:00 pm.

Her family and friends are working with the Carroll County Community Foundation to establish The Carole Frost Memorial Endowment Fund. The purpose of this fund will be to provide financial assistance to Hospice nurses in Carroll County and the surrounding rural service areas who wish to enhance their skills by obtaining their Hospice and Palliative Care Nursing Certification. This will promote excellence in end of life care to all patients receiving Hospice services in our area. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the Carole Frost Memorial Fund, initially being collected at The First National Bank of Berryville or any of their branch offices.

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