Carol Lelia Hudson was born on January 12, 1934 to Learnyou Mae Hudson (Diggs) and Ollie Keoh Hudson at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. She was the only child of this marriage that began in 1920. Her parents later divorced in 1939. Carol and her mother moved to St. Louis in 1940. Her mother worked as a beautician and later a power sewing machine operator in the garment industry. Carol’s Aunt Dotty and grandmother Katie Diggs (Hammond) were her caregivers while she attended Simmons Elementary School in St. Louis.
Carol and her mother returned to Chicago in January 1943. Carol graduated from Frances E. Willard Elementary on January 10, 1947. Carol attended DuSable High School where she played trumpet in the concert and marching bands. She was one of few women in the band. Carol graduated from DuSable High School on January 25, 1951. She was her class Salutatorian, ranking 2nd out of 183 graduates.
After graduation, in February 1951, Carol enrolled in Chicago Teachers College, now known as Chicago State University. She earned her Bachelor of Education in Biological Science in August 1954 at age 20. She is the first of three generations to graduate college at 20. After successfully passing the Chicago Public School’s Written and Oral examinations, she was assigned to Hendricks Elementary School.
During 1954, Carol met Herbert D. Wooley. They were married December 26 of that same year.
As a child, Carol Wooley entered the Service of God attending Berean Baptist Church in Chicago. She was baptized by Reverend Bradden at 9 years of age. As a married couple, Carol and Herbert attended Berean Baptist Church until they joined Trinity United Church of Christ just a few blocks away from home in 1968. Dr. Herbert Douglas Wooley died on May 22, 1995.
Carol and Herbert chose two children through loving adoption: Brian Herbert Wooley and Jeri Carol Wooley. They spent many summers at their second home in Union Pier, Michigan, and many years square dancing across the country.
During her tenure at Hendricks Elementary School, Carol taught grades three through eight. After receiving her Masters of Education from Chicago Teachers College in 1960, the principal appointed her Master Teacher. This position’s duties included assisting new teachers in improvement of teaching practices, overseeing school-level science fairs, conducting visitations, assisting substitute teachers, textbook selections, and more.
When the principal of Hendricks was appointed to a larger school, Carol was asked to transfer with him. She served as the head teacher of Mary Church Terrell’s School Branch from 1963-1965. The branch consisted of four classrooms on the first floor of four 20-story high-rises within the Robert Taylor Homes. They were located from 54th to 55th State Street.
Carol was among the youngest to pass the Chicago Principal’s Exams, before age 30. Carol served as Principal at many schools, including: Juliette Lowe Upper Grade Center from 1965-1968, Hinton Elementary from 1968-1973, and Englewood High School from 1973-1985. Carol was listed in 1974-1975 edition of the book “Who’s Who of American Women.” After her tenure at Englewood, Carol became District Superintendent of District 16 from 1985 to 1989. Her District received the highest score ever earned from the State of Illinois in the history of Chicago Public Schools.
When Mayor Richard Daley Jr. was elected, he took over Chicago Public Schools. District 16 was absorbed. As a result, Carol became Principal of Fuller Elementary, where she had 5th graders learning algebra! Carol’s final posting was as the District 6 administrator, where she served from 1993-1994.
After 39 years of faithful service to Chicago Public Schools, Carol retired in November 1994. Her retirement provided consistent fellowship via water aerobics with the ladies of the Newport Condos for over 25 years. She loved her visits with her longtime friend, Audrey Williams. She enjoyed traveling the world with Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., and Trinity United Church of Christ to Ghana, Ethiopia, South Africa and Brazil. Singing in the Women’s Chorus brought her great joy, and she loved coming to Texas to see two of her grandchildren.
A masterful seamstress, Carol often sewed “Wooley Wear” custom clothing for herself, children, grandchildren, and even their dolls. A true Jazz lover, she regularly supported local jazz musicians and sailed on multiple jazz cruises.
Carol was an avid reader, teaching herself before entering school. You could always catch her with a good “Who-Done-It” mystery, a crossword puzzle, and her Bible, which she read daily. She fancied Black Walnut ice cream and always kept Dark Chocolate-covered raisins or nuts on hand. She moved to Austin, Texas in March 2022 to be close to her family.
She is preceded in death by her husband Dr. Herbert D. Wooley, son Brian Herbert Wooley, longtime friends Robert and Audrey B. Williams, and godson Warren C. Williams.
Carol Wooley’s loving legacy continues with: Her loving daughter Jeri Carol Chambers and son-in-law Robert G. Chambers of Austin, TX; granddaughters Jocelyn Carol Chambers of Los Angeles, CA, Joy Catherine Chambers of Austin, TX, and Taneka Mills of Omaha, NE; grandson Cordell Lee Bradley of Bloomington, IL; great-grandchildren Danté, D’Angelo, and Da’Niya Mills; Nali, Brooklynn, K’Miya, and Khai Bradley; first cousins Janice Moses and Dennis Jarrells of Chicago, IL; dear friends David Carter and Jessie Mannie, and a host of relatives and friends.
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