Carol Ann Dunbar

Carol Ann (Braun) Dunbar, 77, of Bloomington, IN, passed away Thursday, January 25, 2024. Born in Decatur, Indiana, on July 18, 1946, her life’s journey took her to Fontana, California; Ellettsville, Indiana; Seymour, Tennessee; and back to Bloomington.

She was married to her best friend, Larry, for 48 years until his 2013 passing. She retired as Assistant to the Director of the Indiana University Office of Student Financial Assistance in 2002 having worked at IU for 28 years.

Guided by her faith and a servant’s heart, Carol was an active member of the Ellettsville First United Methodist Church and Seymour (TN) United Methodist Church. She ran the Ellettsville Youth Group for years and was heavily involved with youth organizations in Seymour, where she also was in charge of managing collections for more than a decade. Wherever she volunteered, she never did anything halfway – and that included cheering on her Hoosiers (most notably as a regular at IU Volleyball matches).

Carol thoroughly enjoyed life and loved camping, long country drives, picnics, hiking and looking out over the mountains in her Tennessee backyard. She was a member of the Tri Kappa women’s philanthropic organization, was roped into being the treasurer of her son-in-law’s legislative campaign committee for 14 years, and was a recipient of the Sagamore of the Wabash. But her proudest accomplishment was being “Mom” to her daughters and “Nan” to her grandkids, who she helped raise. She had a soft spot for animals, with bunnies, donkeys and dogs at the top of the list!

She was preceded in death by parents, Herbert and Dorothy Braun, husband, Larry Joe Dunbar, daughter Cindy Smith, and infant son, Jeffrey Todd Dunbar.

She is survived by daughter, Sherry Dunbar-Kruzan and son-in-law Mark Kruzan; grandchildren, Cory Smith and his spouse Carly Orr, and Caitlyn Smith; brother and sister-in-law, Mike and Martha Dunbar of Venice, Florida; and sister and brother-in-law, Sue and Keith Davis of Georgetown, TX.

The family would like to offer their sincere appreciation for the care and compassion shown to Carol by all her health care professionals, especially the staffs of Jill’s House and Stonecroft with special acknowledgment to IU Health Hospice providers.

A Celebration of Life will be held in Tennessee on Sunday March 3rd at 2p at the Seymour (TN) United Methodist Church. A Celebration of Life will be held in Indiana on Sunday April 28 2-3:30p at Deer Park Manor in Bloomington.

Memorial contributions in honor of Carol in the name of any of her many furry friends (especially Indy!), can be made to the Monroe County Humane Association via monroehumane.org/donate.