Carol (Hermeier) Stockdale
Carol (Hermeier) Stockdale passed away peacefully at her home in University Place, WA, surrounded by her family, January 26, 2025. A celebration of her life in a memorial service will be held Friday, March 7 at 2 p.m. at University Place Presbyterian Church, 8101 27th Street West, University Place, WA. Remembrances can be made to the General Fund at the ARK Institute of Learning.
Carol was born on a farm in Waukon in 1934. Although her home lacked electricity and running water until she was in high school, Carol had many fond memories of life on the farm. She attended a one-room schoolhouse in rural Iowa through the 8th grade and her graduating class at Waukon High School was fewer than 20 students.
Initially attending the University of Dubuque where she met her future husband, Ron, Carol completed her undergraduate education and earned her degree from Iowa State University in 1956. She put herself through college with money earned each summer baking pies and pastries at a lakeside resort.
Carol and Ron were married December 23, 1956, a happy union that lasted over 60 years. In 1958, they moved to Chicago where Carol worked as a teacher. With the arrival of their sons Bryan (1960) and Russell (1962), Carol devoted herself to motherhood with characteristic enthusiasm, intelligence and energy. The family moved to Ohio, then Boise, ID, where Paul (1967) was born, and Carol started the first kindergarten program at the local elementary school.
In 1969, the young family moved to University Place, WA, where they put down deep roots. While raising three active sons, Carol also pursued her love of art by earning a master’s degree in art from the University of Puget Sound in 1974. Her art covered a variety of mediums. She created intricate fused-glass art pieces well into her late eighties.
When one of her sons was erroneously diagnosed with dyslexia in the early 1970s, Carol channeled her passion for education and teaching into what became her life’s work: helping others overcome the challenges of learning disabilities. She co-founded and served as Director of Another Door to Learning, a clinic which served hundreds of children and adults with learning disabilities from 1980 through 1995.
In 1996, she founded the ARK (Applied Research Knowledge) Institute of Learning. Today, it continues her work of applying innovative strategies and methods to help people read and learn. In 2005, at the age of 71, Carol earned her Doctorate in Education from Seattle University.
Carol was deeply dedicated to her family, her friends, and her faith. She loved spending time with her married children, Bryan and Dianna Stockdale, Russ and Kristi Stockdale, and Paul and Sheila Stockdale, as well as her six grandchildren, Daniel, Garrett, Katie and grandson-in-law Andrew, Rachel, Mark, and Harrison. She was a lifelong, faithful member of her church, including 56 years at University Place Presbyterian Church.
Carol’s guiding principle, from Psalms, was “Blessed to be a Blessing.” She enriched countless people’s lives throughout her 90 years. She will be greatly missed.
