Carolyn Sue Wooten

Carolyn Sue Wooten, 83, of Flat Rock, IL, passed away on September 12, 2025, at Robinson Rehab & Nursing. She was born on January 20, 1942, in Flint, MI, and grew up in Decker, IN, where she was her daddy’s shadow. She spent countless hours at his sawmill, learning not just how to work but how to work hard. Those early days shaped her into a woman who was strong, capable, and determined, the kind who would rather roll up her sleeves and join in than sit on the sidelines.

After graduating from Decker Chapel High School in 1960, Carolyn’s life turned toward romance when she met Robert “Bob” Wooten at the truck stop in Russellville. Whatever was playing on the jukebox became the soundtrack to their love story, and before long, the two were married. When Bob was drafted, Carolyn spent much of that time working at the Ettelbrick Shoe Factory, but when he returned, she left the factory behind and devoted herself to working alongside him on the farm. She drove tractors, oiled machinery, and kept things running. She wasn’t just helping on the farm; she was farming.

Carolyn’s life was defined not only by her energy but by her creativity. She surrounded her home with bright flowers, puzzles she glued and framed, and even brick flower arrangements she dreamed up herself. She loved games (rummy was her favorite), and cards were as much about the laughter and company as they were about winning. She had a quick wit and a playful streak. When asked how she was feeling, her classic response was, “With my fingers.”

She was every bit as tough as she was funny. Even in her 70s, she was found with a chainsaw in hand, ready to take down a tree herself, and she loved mowing her own yard so much that near the end, when her memory was slipping, she’d mow it every day. She was opinionated, never afraid to speak her mind, and she wasn’t fully dressed until her signature red lipstick was on. It was so faithfully applied that her friends at Robinson Rehab nicknamed her “Hot Lips.”

Travel was one of Carolyn’s great joys. She sailed on cruises to Alaska, Hawaii, and Mexico, and even crossed the Atlantic to take in the sights of England. When those trips gave way to quieter days, she and her daughter Cathy found new ways to keep moving. At 9:00 each morning, Cathy would pick her up, and they’d set off together, sometimes to shop, sometimes to play cards with friends, sometimes just to see where the road would take them. Even in Robinson Rehab, she was rarely idle, throwing herself into every activity offered and surrounding herself with friends who made her days brighter.

Carolyn was strong, courageous, and independent to the very end. She never complained or admitted when something hurt, and simply pressed on with unyielding determination. Her family will remember her as a woman who lived fully, laughed loudly, and colored the world around her with beauty and joy — a legacy that will continue to bloom for years to come.

She is survived by her daughter & son-in-law, Cathy & Tony Senn (Flat Rock, IL); her sons & daughters-in-law, Troy & Connie Wooten (Mount Erie, IL) and Shane and Nicole Wooten (Fritch, TX); by several grandchildren and great-grandchildren; by her sister, Lucille Lemeron (Flat Rock, IL); as well as several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bob Wooten, who passed away on March 28, 1984. She was also preceded in death by her parents, Henry & Dorothy (Young) Decker.

A time of visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 17th, at the Goodwine Funeral Home in Palestine. Funeral services will immediately follow at 12:00 p.m. with Ronnie Crawford officiating. Burial will be in the Wesley Chapel Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Robinson Rehab to be used for their Activity Department. Memorial envelopes will be available at the funeral home.