Carol Wiley Obituary

Carol Wiley saw her final summer Labor Day weekend, leaving this world much as she lived her life- independent, strong, and stoic, with her girls nearby and kitty curled and purring on her lap.

Born Carol Evelyn Stoltz to parents Arthur and Florence Stoltz in Mukwonago Wisconsin in 1933. Carol and her older sister Shirley grew up in the family's drugstore serving ice cream at the soda fountain while her pharmacist parents filled prescriptions. She continued the family tradition and received her Pharmacy Degree at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Adventure called! Soon after graduation she headed west to Denver and worked as a pharmacist. Skiing with girlfriends in Aspen that first winter, her tall fuzzy hat with large dangling pompoms caught the attention of ski patroller, Milt Wiley. It was here that the true adventure began! They were soon married in the winter of 1960, and with the love-of-her-life they landed in Durango and raised four daughters- all named Peter before they were born. At the same time, she was involved with the League of Women's voters, active with the Hillcrest Golf Club, enjoyed hiking and lunching with her ladies, and loved the mountains and rivers of the Southwest so much that she learned to kayak when she was 60 years old.

Carol worked as a pharmacist at Community Hospital and the downtown Rexall Drugs until she retired to be more available for her girls; lacing ski boots, warming hands, coordinating school sports, and driving shuttle for her fearless crew. But mostly, lovingly encouraged her girls to follow their dreams.

She was completely on board with the family's decision to start a new business in 1983, Four Corners Marine and Kayak School (currently: 4Corners Riversports) Carol was instrumental in all aspects of the retail business including being the 'go-to Mom' for all the Durango kids who worked there.

At times she was a reluctant adventurer, following the family well out of her comfort zone. Shuttle driving in the vast expanse of Canyonlands often left her girls shivering beside a river with Dad, wondering where the heck Mom was! There was the time she was flipped in a raft on the Grand Canyon, took a long, cold swim in Hance and decided at the next side canyon she would hike out, solo, choosing the hot desert walk over the wild rapids of the Colorado River; or the time she and Milt drove an old Saab with well north of 200k on the odometer, from Durango to South America via the Atacama Desert, spanning 1000 miles of desolation, sand and heat. No air conditioning, no Saab parts, no mint on her pillow for thousands of miles! When Carol was not on the road, she and her family enjoyed summers living at Electra Lake which grew into a full-time residence with Milt in 1984. When Milt died in 1998, Carol continued to live by herself at the end of the road.

She was a trooper, that Carol Wiley, and she will be missed by her surviving daughters, Nancy, Amy, Susie, Janet, son-in-law Andy Corra, her grandson Wiley Corra, and her older sister, Shirley Miller and five nieces.

An informal celebration will be announced later this fall. Anyone wanting to honor her with a donation is encouraged to send them to: La Plata County Humane Society or Mercy Hospice.