Cpl. Aspen Alea Carothers, USMC, 22, of Milan, Illinois, passed away on Friday, February 21, 2025, in Swansboro, North Carolina. Visitation will be Sunday, March 16, 2025, from 1 pm to 4 pm at the Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory, Milan. Funeral Services for Aspen will be 10 am, Monday, March 17, 2025, at the Heritage Church, Rock Island, where the service will be live streamed at https://vimeo.com/1062187434/96e5201ff1 . Burial, with full military honors, will be in the Coal Valley Township Cemetery directly following the funeral services. Memorials may be made to QC Paws.

Aspen was born on September 10, 2002, in Rock Island, the daughter of Carrie Miller and Dane Carothers. She graduated from Sherrard High School in 2021.  Aspen was currently serving with the United States Marine Corps at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. She was a proud Marine.

Aspen was a loving and compassionate person; she was a joy to be around and always made people laugh. She loved all animals and was always looking for a stray to bring home.  She was a beautiful, amazing, intelligent young lady and her mother's pride and joy.  She enjoyed playing softball and was always trying to help people.

Those left to cherish her memory are her mother, Carrie Miller, Milan; father, Dane Carothers (Marian Stallings), Rock Island; grandparents, Thomas Miller, Milan, Donald and Linda Carothers, Galesburg; aunt, Serena Thurman, Rock Island; uncle, Casey (Laura) Carothers, Davenport; several cousins, including, Shawn (Ashley) Thurman, Moline, Kayla Thurman (Tyler Clark), Coal Valley, Sarah Tyrell, Rock Island, Paige Carothers, Bettendorf, Drake Carothers, Moline, and Aurora Stephens, Davenport; as well as her many friends and colleagues.

Aspen was preceded in death by her grandmother, Donna Miller.