Carole Jane Wright Paulsen, age 71, a resident of Wheaton, IL, went to be with the Lord on Thursday, August 30, 2018, peacefully at home surrounded by her family. She was born August 19, 1947 in Philadelphia, PA to John and Mildred Wright.

She was raised in Bristol, PA and graduated Salutatorian of Delhaas High School in 1965. Carole graduated from Wheaton College in 1969 where she met Tom Paulsen. They were married on June 7, 1969. She taught fourth grade at Winfield Elementary School for the next three years. Carole continued to touch the lives of elementary age children as a substitute teacher for over 30 years in Wheaton Warrenville District 200. In addition to teaching, she maintained a Real Estate License and loved showing homes to people
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Her Christian faith was central to her life. While at the 1957 New York Billy Graham Crusade, Carole made the decision to accept Christ as her personal Lord and Savior and this defined her life from that moment on. Her faith led her to serve the local church, first at the Wheaton Evangelical Free Church and then at College Church in Wheaton where she served as a deaconess, with the children in the nursery, teacher in Kids' Korner, worked in the library and was a mentor in Apples of Gold.

Although a teacher by training, she was first a loving wife and mother. After struggling with what they thought was infertility, Tom and Carole had the wonderful joy of adopting Kristina Joanne at the age of five days. They were then blessed with the birth of Elizabeth Anne 18 months later and again ten years later with the birth of Kathryn Anne.

Carole was gifted at mathematics and enjoyed puzzles and Sudoku. She had a talent for arranging flowers and took delight in decorating her home for the seasons. She had a heart for animals which included adopting stray and rescue cats. Carole and Tom loved to travel across the country with their daughters and later with their grandchildren. They also loved hosting game nights with friends.

She is survived by her husband, Tom Paulsen, three daughters, Kristina (Chris) Hagenbaumer of Naperville, Beth (Tim) Frilingos of Decatur, Georgia and Katie Paulsen of Wheaton, and six grandchildren, Julia, Jack, Justin, Paul, Jack and Luke.

A visitation will be held on Sunday, September 2, 2018 from 3:00 until 8:00 p.m. at Hultgren Funeral Home, 304 N. Main St., Wheaton. A funeral service will be held on Monday, September 3, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. at College Church in Wheaton, 332 E. Seminary Ave., Wheaton, IL 60187.

Memorial gifts may be directed to Samaritan's Purse.

Family and friends may sign a guest book at hultgrenfh.com. For more information, please call Hultgren Funeral Home at 630-668-0027.