Carol Jean Mortensen

Carol Jean (Driver) Mortensen was born in Huntley, IL on April 9, 1933 to Graydon and Mary (Musser) Driver. She passed away peacefully in her sleep on July 8, 2025.

Carol graduated from Marengo Community High School in 1951 and on September 15, 1956 she married Victor Mortensen.  She spent the early years of her marriage as a stay at home mom raising her children.  After her youngest started school, she returned to the work force spending time at Aubrey Manufacturing, Warner Electric and Techalloy.  She loved to spend time in her kitchen cooking and baking and always had a chocolate cake, brownies or a cherry pie fresh out of the oven to share with her friends and family. She shared her love for baking as a volunteer for Ladies Aid at Zion Lutheran Church. She also loved being a Grandma and spending time with her grandchildren.

Carol is survived by her daughter Sheryl Vogel and her husband Robert, son Scott (Kim Velasquez) and son Steven and his wife Lisa (Peters), grandchildren Melissa (Andrew) Roanhouse, Matthew Vogel (Tom Adolphs), Kristin (Chris) Talac, Eric Mortensen, Tanner Mortensen, Parker Mortensen, and Mackenna Mortensen, great grandchildren Houston Vogel, Harper Roanhouse, Hayden Roanhouse, Casey Talac with baby boy Talac on the way, sister Mary Lou Richard, brother Bill Driver and his wife Ruth,  sister-in-law Dolores Driver, brother-in-law Ray Steinwehe and many nieces and nephews. 

She was predeceased by her parents, brother Thomas Driver, sister Joan Driver Steinwehe, sister-in-law Dorothy Urquhart and her husband Alex, sister-in-law Marie Austin and her husband Gerald “Spark” and her granddaughter Mackenzie Rose Mortensen.

The visitation will be held on Thursday, July 10th from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 pm with the services to follow at Zion Lutheran Church, 412 Jackson St., Marengo, IL with burial at the Marengo City Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Zion Lutheran Church, 412 Jackson St., Marengo, IL 60152 or Heartland Hospice, 6000 E. State St., 1st Floor, Rockford, IL 61108.  The family would like to thank the staff of Morning Star Village and Heartland Hospice for the compassion and care provided to Carol and Pastor Ripke for all of his visits to our parents over the past few years.