FORT MILL, SOUTH CAROLINA -- Carol Van Olst, beloved mother, wife, grandmother ("Rosie"), sister, aunt, and friend, passed away on February 29, 2020 at the age of 67. She was born in Syracuse, NY and raised in Bridgeport, NY.  Carol was a 1970 graduate of Chittenango High School and married Jeff Van Olst on September 15, 1973.

She was a beautiful soul with a strong-willed, loving spirit and will be missed by so many. She was deeply loved and brought so much joy to those around her.

Carol's vibrant life took her from Bridgeport, NY to Great Falls, MT, Manlius, NY, Ann Arbor, MI and to Fort Mill, SC where she settled to be close to her children and grandchildren. Wherever Carol lived, she had a community of friends, hosted the best dinner parties, and always showered her family and friends with love.

She raised her family in Manlius, NY where she was known as being the cool mom. After school, she had hot chocolate chip cookies ready, chicken wings, and whatever favorite snacks she could cook for her kids and all their friends. Some might say this was a brilliant way to keep tabs (Jason), but it didn't matter because Carol's house was always a welcome center of activity. She was devoted to her children, Jason and Jennifer, and all their activities and sports. She was passionately involved in all activities her kids participated in. Many will say "Carol was like my second mom," because she truly did have so much love to go around.

She was also a loving daughter, sister, and aunt who made Sunday family picnics at the lake with a priority – they happened every weekend, without fail, and everyone always had a blast. She made the BEST German potato salad and was known as the culinary expert of the family. She was an amazing cook and entertainer.

Growing up her children, nieces, and nephews also enjoyed the ultra-competitive spirit that she shared with her siblings. The family affectionately refers to this as the McGee competitive gene and so many games of croquet, volleyball, horseshoes, pitch, and even kick ball were played. And they never let up or let the kids win – these were lessons in resilience, strength, and grit, but also pure fun. Beyond Carol's competitive edge, she was always at the center of the "laugh so hard your stomach hurts the next day" moments that made family gatherings together the most cherished and memorable moments.

After Jason and Jen graduated college, Carol and Jeff made the move south into a retirement community in Fort Mill, South Carolina to be close to their children. Within this community, Carol became the community activities director among friends. She formed the Grapevine Ladies social club and organized many dinner parties and social events. She organized international vacations with friends and enjoyed being a serious card shark, playing weekly (competitive) games of Canasta and Mahjong with friends. She loved her community of friends and the strong connections they shared.

Carol ("Rosie") was a doting grandmother to Sophie, Winfield, and Parker. Rosie was their biggest fan and at every event. Swim meets, baseball, basketball, gymnastics, school concerts, you name it, her grandchildren always knew she was there cheering them on. It didn't matter if it was local or 6 hours away, they could always count on Rosie. They also enjoyed annual family trips to Hilton Head and frequent sleepovers at Camp Rosie and Poppy. Spending time with Rosie at the pool, taking the golf carts for spins, playing cards, cooking lessons, and pancake breakfasts – was always a blast! She was a proud grandma and always surrounded her grandchildren with so much love.

Carol was a devoted daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend. She was loyal, loving, and would do anything to help a family member or friend in need. She lived an amazing life, always surrounded by family and friends. As we grieve her loss, we are also reminded of her strong, beautiful spirit, and are thankful for all the cherished memories. She will be dearly missed, but her legacy lives on through her children and grandchildren.

Carol is survived by her loving husband Jeff, her son Jason and daughter-in-law Heather Van Olst and grandson Parker; her daughter Jennifer and son-in-law Jeff Lorraine and grandchildren Sophie and Winfield; brother Donny McGee; brother Tom McGee; sister Reenie (Jeff); brother Tim (Lori); brother Dan (Deb); sister Kathy Koegel (David); brother-in-law Tom VanOlst (Phyllis);  sister-in-law June Kilby (Tim); sister-in-law Barbara Herrmann (Paul); sister-in-law Jean Addison (Daryl). Carol is also survived by 19 nieces and nephews.

The Celebration of Life Service for Carol is 1:00 pm Saturday, March 7, 2020 at The Chapel of Burgess Funeral Home officiated by Rev. Craig Willingham.

The family will receive friends from 12:00 - 1:00 pm, one hour prior to the service, at Burgess Funeral Home, 1800 Charlotte Hwy., Lancaster, SC 29720.

Please consider sending a memorial in Carol's name to North Carolina Swimming, P.O.Box 30863, Charlotte, NC 28230.