Carol Viola (Hunter) Woodley

Carol (Hunter) Woodley, 85, of Livingston, passed away on Thursday, July 1, 2021. A celebration of life service will be held in honor of Carol at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, July 10, hosted at the Livingston Christian Center. Burial and rites of committal will follow the service at Clyde Park Cemetery. A reception will be at the Shields Valley Community Center following committal services. Carol was born in Livingston on November 8, 1935, the daughter of Thomas and Betty Hunter and was raised on their ranch near Clyde Park. After her graduation from Clyde Park High School, Carol married Carrol Noyd, the manager of Montana Grain Elevator. Known as "Big Carrol" and "Little Carol," the Noyd's managed various grain elevators throughout central Montana. The couple added five children to their family; David, Debra, Leslie, and twins, Marlon and Marcy.In 1969, "Big Carrol" suffered a fatal heart attack and "Little Carol", now a single mother, returned with her children to the family ranch near Clyde Park and eventually moved to Livingston. Attorney Bonnie Swandal offered Carol a position researching landowner water rights - which led to a 25-year association with the Swandal-Douglas Law Firm. Carol developed professional research skills which enhanced her pursuit of a personal passion, genealogy. Carol was a cofounder and longtime president of Park County Genealogy Society, Treasurer of Montana State Genealogical Society, and served as historian for the Mount Hyalite Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution, as well as the Livingston Park Post #23 historian. As a participant of HRDC's Retired Senior Volunteer Program, Carol donated literally thousands of hours as Park County Records Archivist. She served on Yellowstone Gateway Museum's Collections Committee, and as a member of the Park County Cemetery Board. Carol's leadership in Park County's genealogical and historical community resulted in lasting contributions, including updating Livingston's Mountain View Cemetery records, instigating an annual Cemetery Walk event and overseeing a PCGS project to interpret and memorialize interments at Park County Poor Farm Cemetery. In 2014, Carol authored and self-published "Chico Cemetery 1864-2014," documenting the lives of those interred in one of Montana's earliest cemeteries. Her efforts provide a living face to our history by pursuing her simple mantra, "If you were here, you deserve to be remembered."For her selfless dedication to her family and to our community, we will remember Carol.Carol is survived by her children, David (Nancy) Noyd, Debra (John) VanderVoort, Leslie Herda (Bruce Maurer), Marlon (Donna) Noyd, Marcy (Mike) Fowkes; and three step-children, Cheryl Romsa, Cindy Romsa and Rob Romsa, who she raised and claimed as her own; and by 12 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren; sisters, Mary (Dan) Karell, Margery Chapman, Suzanne (Roger) Walker; and a brother, Tom (Mary Jean) Hunter, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.Carol was preceded in death by her parents and husbands, Carrol Noyd, Clifford "Dave" Clark, and Morris Woodley, as well as two grandchildren, one great-grandchild and by her friend and companion, Dean Gilbert.Donations in Carol Hunter Woodley's memory may be made to Park County Genealogy Society, to Montana State Genealogical Society, or to the Clyde Park Cemetery Board.Franzen-Davis Funeral Home and Crematory has been entrusted with arrangements.