Carol June Minarik

Carol June Minarik, 89, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at Autumn Trace Assisted Living in Plymouth.

She was born on July 1, 1937, in Winamac, Indiana, to Donald and Grace (Kistler) Straw.

Carol graduated from Winamac High School with the Class of 1955. She worked for many years as a bookkeeper at HNP Industries and PiRod, Inc. before retiring.

Carol was a gifted golfer who won many tournaments and awards in her younger years, and she never lost her love of the game, playing well into her later years. She was also a devoted Indiana Hoosiers basketball fan and rarely missed a chance to watch them play. When she wasn’t cheering on the Hoosiers, you might find her playing cards or Rummikub, working on a puzzle, reading a good book, revisiting The Lord of the Rings, or out walking with friends in Culver.

Carol was steady in her faith and a member of the Church of Christ. Nothing mattered more to Carol than her family, and her favorite place to be was wherever her people were. She became a grandmother at 75 and was absolutely tickled to join the grandma club. She loved every minute she got to spend with her three grandkids.

Anyone who knew Carol knew how she made people feel. She was kind, supportive, and always smiling. She looked you in the eye and had a way of making you feel like the best version of yourself. You always walked away from time with Carol feeling a little better than when you came.

Those left to cherish her memory include her children, Tony Straw and his wife, Jennifer, of Plymouth, and Amy Berg and her husband, Josh, of Indianapolis; her grandchildren, Emmett, Sullivan, and Wyatt Berg; her nieces, Donna Abbott, Cindy Swarm, and Beth Beeler; and her nephews, Terry Smith and Mike Beeler.

Carol was preceded in death by her parents and her sisters, Joyce Selvey and Sandra “Tudie” Herner as well as her nephew Brad Smith. 

Per the wishes of the family a celebration of life will be held at a later date