Karole Melissa Brown

Karole Melissa Brown, at the age of 82, passed away January 29, 2024. in her home at Grand Haven Manor. Born in Allegan, Michigan, on July 10, 1941, she spent her early years on her family’s dairy farm, attending Allegan Schools, on graduation in 1959, Karole attended Michigan State University. She left college after the birth of her son and began her career as a legal secretary, working for several Lansing law firms and the Michigan Court of Appeals. Twice she was named Legal Secretary of the Year by the National Association of Legal Secretaries of Lansing. In the 1980’s, Karole was a pioneer in the sale of computers, word processing software, and training legal secretaries in the use these new innovative systems. When (as a single mother of a son and daughter) she decided the travel and long hours were not the best for her children, she returned to being a legal secretary, also teaching classes at Lansing Community College. In the 1990’s, Karole went to work as a supervisor for Dean Transportation overseeing the CATA Special Transportation contract. Her extraordinary people skills helped her to excel in this position. When the contract was over, Karole transitioned those people skills to opening her own business (Professional Placement Services) matching talented legal secretaries with local area law firms. In her retirement, Karole enjoyed traveling to Lake Michigan, gardening, knitting, reading, and her pets, Ruby (the shih tzu dog) and Opal (the Bombay cat).

Karole is survived by her sister, Shari Bradley of Allegan; son, Clinton Charles Van Nocker; daughter, Leigh Anne (Van) Braatz; her grandsons, Charles August Van Nocker, Jackson Richard (Ayah) Van Nocker; Cole Steven Van Nocker; granddaughters, Taylor Leigh Braatz and Logan Monroe Braatz; great grandsons, Amir Jackson Van Nocker and Kais Jackson Van Nocker. Karole was preceded in death by her parents, Charles Brown and Hazel Mae Brown; and brother-in-law, Patrick Bradley.

Special thanks to the CareLine hospice caregivers and to (as Karole called them, "Karole’s Angels”) Sue Ainslie, Mary Anne Verleger and Cindy Swix.

In accordance with Karole's wishes cremation has taken place. A memorial service will be held Saturday, February 10, 2024, at 1:00 at Grace United Methodist Church, 1900 Boston Blvd, Lansing MI 48910. Donations may be made to any women’s shelter program or the Capital Area Humane Society.