Carol Wardell

Carol’s infectious laugh could fill a room, but more immense than her joy of life and sense of humor was her love of family, friends, colleagues and local community. Carol, along with her husband and the love of her life, Kurt Mack, thought globally and acted locally. Ripples from their efforts will continue to enhance this community and beyond for years to come. Carol, 68, passed away on May 22, 2024, in Wenatchee, WA after tenaciously battling heart and kidney conditions for years. The many years of her intellectual and athletic endeavors provided her with an introspective assessment of her chronic illnesses. She wryly concluded a conversation with her medical team by telling them she knew being perfectly well was not possible, but she was perfectly fine being imperfect. Born to Helen and Fred Wardell in Kalispell, MT on Feb. 1, 1956, Carol leaves behind a legacy dedicated to community service. She and her two brothers, Dale and Scott, grew up learning the value of hard work from Helen and Fred. Carol grew up in Richland, WA where she graduated at the top of her class from Richland High School in 1974. Other 1974 graduates will be remembering her this year at the RHS 50th class reunion. In high school, she traveled often to Mission Ridge where she learned to ski and fortunately for the community, to love the Wenatchee area. She attended college at Central Washington University receiving a BS degree in criminal justice in 1978. Not only did Carol excel in school, but she was a tremendous athlete playing field hockey, soccer, tennis and intramural softball at CWU where she met Kurt. He said “I liked the way she threw the ball… she didn’t throw it like a girl!” Kurt and Carol’s path from CWU was directly to the University of Puget Sound Law School in Tacoma where Carol was on the UPS Law Review. She received her Juris Doctor Magna Cum Laude in 1981. It was an impactful year of her life, because she and Kurt married in August of 1981 and she started her clerkship with the first woman appointed to the Washington State Supreme Court, Justice Carolyn R. Dimmick, Carol and Kurt, were interested in living where there was plenty of sunshine, four seasons, easy access to recreational opportunities and an opportunity to immediately contribute to the community. The Wenatchee area offered all of that, along with a vibrant music and art culture they both loved. Jazz and modern art became part of their everyday lives. In 1983 they moved to Wenatchee, where Carol began working for Davis Arneil Dorsey and Kight Law Firm. Carol was smart, funny, decisive, resilient, loyal, steadfast, goal-directed, boisterous, big-hearted, larger-than-life overachiever and a natural leader. These traits served her well and allowed her to serve this community in many wonderful ways. Former colleague David Dorsey said, “It was like she had two careers — one dedicated to the law and one dedicated to community service.” She enjoyed doing this because it made the community a better place for everyone.” In 1991, Carol was appointed as a Chelan-Douglas County Superior Court judge by then Gov. Booth Gardner. She was the first female Superior Court judge for either county. “I’m very proud of my service as a judge,” said Carol in 2019, “and pleased to have broken a gender barrier. But the accomplishment of which I am most proud is getting the CASA program started. The program ensures that a child who has been removed from his or her home due to abuse or neglect has someone to speak up in court for their best interests.” Stepping down from the Chelan Superior Court bench in 1998, Carol became the first in-house General Counsel for Chelan County PUD from which she retired in 2015. While her work covered the broad spectrum of legal issues for the PUD, she was most proud of her work on power agreements with Alcoa that ensured local labor jobs in the valley for many years and Rocky Reach Dam relicensing work. Her colleagues remember her as a brilliant minded, passionate advocate for what is right and good, capable of taking decisive action, while caring deeply about the results of her actions and the impact on the community. In 2016, Carol got a new lease on life, thanks to the kindness of Jill Maloney - who took the extraordinary step of offering to donate a kidney to save her life. Thank you, Jill, we are forever grateful for your priceless gift. (Life saver: Wardell gets friendship, kidney from acquaintance) While Carol will always be cherished by her local “Framily” (friends who are like family) her nephews, Johnny and Adam Wardell speak for all of us: “We were lucky to call her ‘Aunt Carol’ - but she was plenty more than that to countless people in this community. She was fiercely loyal - and would do anything for the people she loved. She was a motherly figure to those who needed it. An advocate for those who couldn’t defend themselves. A mentor for all those who sought her advice. A champion for women. Most of all, she was a joyous friend and loving wife.” Carol is survived by her husband Kurt Mack, her brother Dale Wardell, his wife Susie, their sons Johnny [fiancé Donna] and Adam and her younger brother Scott Wardell, his wife Millette, their son Brandon, and daughter Kayla. To honor Carol’s memory, the family encourages you to share stories in any gathering or group of which you are a part and toast her life with fine wine, of which she was a fan! Donations in Carol’s memory may be made to the Community Foundation of North Central Washington for Wardell/Baker CASA Scholarship Fund at the following address Community Foundation of NCW, 9 South Wenatchee Ave., Wenatchee, WA. If you would like to make an online contribution to the Wardell/Baker CASA Scholarship Fund, please c HYPERLINK "https://cfncw.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=1039"l HYPERLINK "https://cfncw.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=1039"i HYPERLINK "https://cfncw.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=1039"c HYPERLINK "https://cfncw.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=1039"k HYPERLINK "https://cfncw.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=1039" HYPERLINK "https://cfncw.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=1039" here. All donations for this fund are managed through the Community Foundation of NCW. Arrangements by Chapel of the Valley, East Wenatchee.

Carol Wardell

February 1, 1956 - May 22, 2024