On November 9, 2022, Carol Sue Siebman, escaped her worn out body and stepped into the waiting arms of her son, Clyde and her husband, Newell. Those of us left behind grieve for our loss but take solace in that joyous reunion.
She was known as Carol by her biological family and Sue by her work family. However, her favorite name was Mimi – a name given to her by her “sweet little angel baby” grandkids. Carol Sue Gillum was born on February 22, 1937 in Collinsville Texas to farmers Clyde and Hattie May Gillum. She was a smart girl. She graduated from Collinsville High School as salutatorian, a fact that galled her for her entire life that the Valedictorian shouldered her out of the top spot with a clever last day round of gift giving to the teachers. However, her second spot ranking still earned her a scholarship to business school which she turned down for fear it would place a hardship on her family.
Shortly thereafter, she met a handsome and debonair truck driver named Newell and they married on March 8, 1958, in Collinsville. The births of son Clyde, and daughter Annette, soon followed. She dedicated her life to them and then their children. She never met a baby she didn’t love. This included her babies, their babies, her nieces and nephews and their children, and all the babies yet to be. She was the consummate maternal figure.
She showed her love mostly by doting. She would take time with her babies. She would be interested in what they were interested in. She would make each one feel special. Leaving her house was always an exercise in hugs and kisses and exuberant waving. And gift giving. Cookies, hair ribbons, trinkets, cheetos, all packaged in a ziplock bag. Her grandkids looked as forward to the ritual as they did the goodies. A favorite family memory is on an occasion of leaving when she was low on gimme items. Becca – at about 3 years old was shopping in the pantry and came out with a sack of elbow macaroni announcing “I’ll just take this.” After being told, “we have pasta at home” Mimi scolded “You let that sweet little angel baby have those noodles!” Some rituals must be respected so Becca retained the pasta.
All the grandkids will recall the annual buying of the shoes. It was a tradition for years that she would buy new shoes for the kids. It was a thing between her and them. If a parent said, “we need to buy you new shoes” they would be castigated with “MIMI BUYS ME NEW SHOES.” And winter jackets and watches and… and… and.
If you knew her at all, you already knew that about her – her family was her world. But here are some things that maybe you didn’t know. She was a good singer. In fact, she and her sister Clydene sang with Pat Boone. They had a singing group called the “Collinettes.” A picture of them in their Cowgal outfits shows beautiful and happy young women. She liked to sew, she liked to paint and she liked to cook. She could outshoot almost anyone. She had two careers. She retired in the early 90s from the education system having had a long career as the bookstore manager over all campus bookstores in the Collin County Community College system. She managed a lot of people, crunched massive numbers and was responsible for a giant budget. She was a force in that world. But then grandkids were born and she changed her priorities. She then went to work part-time for Clyde keeping the books in his little law office. Which over the years turned into full-time work in his large law office with a giant billing system. She retired for the final time at age 84 upon his death.
She liked a good bacon, avocado sandwich, watching TV and keeping up with world events. She enjoyed her cell phone, the Home Shopping Network, and Donald Trump. And she loved home grown tomatoes.
She believed in a strong work ethic, self-sacrifice, perseverance, and independence. She was not afraid of dying, but she loved living.
Carol Sue is survived by her daughter, Annette Skupin and her husband Jon, daughter-in-law, Carol Siebman, sister Clydene Short and her husband James, Grandchildren, Elizabeth Forrest and her husband John, Becca Skupin, Katie Skupin, and Sam Skupin, Great granddaughter Kendall Forrest, Nieces Robin Towery and Melanie Qualls and Nephews Randy Short, CB Pippin and Jim Pippin and all of the grand nieces and nephews that she cherished.
A graveside service will be held at Georgetown Cemetery in Pottsboro, Texas on Wednesday November 16, 2022 at 11:00 AM.
Carol Sue had a handful of charities and causes that she supported.
The Texoma Family Shelter, Meals on Wheels, Disabled American Veterans, Boles Children’s Home, and her church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you make a donation in her memory to your favorite cause or charity.
The register book can be signed online at waldofuneralhome.com.
