Lt. Col. (Ret.) Carol Beth Capan St. John , 65, of Moline, passed away on Thursday, January 28, 2021. Per her wishes, Carol was cremated.

Visitation will be on Saturday, February 6, from 1pm to 3 pm prior to memorial service at 3pm at Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory, 3030 7th Avenue, Rock Island. The memorial service will be live-broadcasted at wheelanpressly.com/live-stream. Military Honors will be accorded. Kent Kindelsperger will officiate.  In accordance with public gathering guidelines, capacity limitations will be observed along with face mask and social distancing requirements.  A Celebration of Life Gathering will also be planned for a later date.

Carol was born in Moline on June 28, 1955, daughter of Charles Jolly Capan and Patricia Fern Fisher Capan.  She married Terry St. John with whom she had two sons.

Carol attended schools in Rock Island and graduated from Sherrard High School.  She attended Illinois State University and later graduated from St. Ambrose University.  Her master's degree was from US Army Command and General Staff College (KS) and her teaching certificate was earned at Concordia University (MN).  She joined the Army in 1982 and retired in 2004, following a career that took her to service as the first female company commander at the Rock Island Arsenal, as well as tours in Germany, Kuwait and the Pentagon.  At retirement Carol was chair of the Army ROTC Department at the University of Iowa (Go Hawks!) where she was the first female chair. Afterward, her love of the army and teaching took her to Davenport Central High School (IA), Vessey Leadership Academy (MN) and Bemidji High School (MN) as Senior Army Instructor, where she impacted student learning for many in their Junior ROTC programs. Carol also attended auctioneer school and was an antique appraiser.

Carol was a walking miracle, having survived the 2014 diagnosis of a glioblastoma multiforme, which is always fatal within months.  Choosing to participate in a trial at Duke University Medical Center, she was one of a handful of patients who survived an aggressive immune therapy.  The side effects, however, proved to be challenging.

Carol was a member of First Lutheran Church, Sherrard, and had a deep faith connection to Native Americans.

Carol was a beloved mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, aunt, cousin and friend.  She loved and cared deeply for everyone in her life.  She was a curious life-long learner, a critical thinker and a compassionate woman. She was known at Christmas time for her homemade Potica, peppermint bark, and gingerbread men. Her interests included Bob Dylan, history, painting, hunting for those special antiques, bargain hunting at the dollar store or any clothing outlet store.

Carol enjoyed laughter, music, reading, a good glass of wine or beer, nature and the great outdoors, feeding the birds, her dogs, the Iron Range, vanilla cake, a good massage and a hot cup of Starbucks, but most of all, she loved spending time with her sons and grandson.

Those left to cherish her memory include sons Charley (Holly), and loving grandson Kingston, Fairfield, IA; and Sam (Rebekah Kersey) O'Fallon, MO; brother Chuck (Laurie) Moline, sisters Angela (Kevin) Piers, Cincinnati and Mary, Moline.  Also, nieces and nephews Kelli Brown, Emily (Erik) Meutsch, and Lauren (George) Wilders, Cincinnati; Nick, Matt and Bailey Capan, Moline; five great-nieces and nephews and dear friends Modell Plummer and Karen Child Adolphson.  Carol was preceded in death by her parents, grandparents, several aunts and uncles.

Memorial contributions may be made to: Disabled American Veterans or Clarissa Cook Hospice House.