Carole Drives

Madison - Carole Jo Drives, age 80, died peacefully on Friday, March 21, 2014. Carole Jo was born August 16, 1933 in Madison, Wisconsin to the late Gus and Bernadette Drives. She was a proud graduate of West High School and was involved in many of their alumni events. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin Madison with a Nursing degree and began her career in Colorado at a pediatric hospital. She returned to Wisconsin to be near family and friends, and spent 30 years working at the University Hospital, serving in various roles in nursing administration. Carole Jo was very active in her hometown and particularly with her alma mater, the University of Wisconsin. She was an avid Badger fan and would wear her team colors proudly year round. Carole Jo was a season ticket holder to the football and basketball teams. She also was a staunch supporter of the University of Wisconsin Marching band even supporting a clarinet player. Her dedication did not stop there as she was an active member of the Bascom Hill Society and also traveled with the University of Wisconsin on many alumni trips. Her other community endeavors included many years involvement with the Masonic Temple, where she served as the Grand Matron. The Masonic Temple was a family affair she continued due to her Father and Uncle's involvement. She was also very involved with Attic Angels and Grace Episcopal Church, assisting with the numerous programs they offered. Besides her love for the University of Wisconsin, her other loves were her dogs and her family, both of which were extremely important to her. For several years she raised Bichon Frise and was dedicated to promoting the breed to the greater Madison area. Having a litter of pups at her house yearly was an event she thoroughly enjoyed and loved sharing with her family. The heart of each family gathering was food, and Carole Jo was an exceptional cook who had a talent for cooking for a crowd. She hosted many holiday meals and cookouts at her various homes throughout the years that all allowed her immediate and extended family as well as friends to gather from distant locales. Her parents preceded her in death. Surviving her are her numerous cousins, their children and friends that she considered her family. They reside in Arizona, Georgia, Minnesota, California, and Wisconsin.

Visitation will be held Thursday, March 27 from 5-7 p.m. at Cress Funeral Home (3610 Speedway Rd, Madison, WI 53705). (Please feel free to dress casually in your favorite University of Wisconsin apparel for the visitation). Funeral Service will be at 11am Friday, March 28 at Cress Funeral Home with Rev. Dr. D. Jonathan Grieser officiating. Burial will follow the service at Forest Hill Cemetery.

Memorials can be made payable to UW Foundation-Carole Jo Drives Memorial, US Bank Lockbox, Box 78807, Milwaukee WI 53278-0807. Memorial gifts will be directed to UW School of Nursing scholarship support, or the Dane County Humane Society. Many thanks to the dedicated staff who cared generously and graciously for Carole Jo at the Aster Assisted Retirement Community in Cottage Grove, Wisconsin.