Carol (Esselink) Guice was born on December 22, 1946, to Gerrit and Dorothy (Mouw) Esselink in Luverne, Minnesota. She spent some of her childhood/elementary school years on a farm in Beaver Creek, Minn. In 1960 her parents moved to a farm at Leota, Minn., where Carol attended high school at Southwest Christian School. She kept busy on the farm by helping with numerous chores and enjoying time with her siblings and friends. Carol told many stories of growing up on the farm. One particular story was about being chased up-a-snowbank by a buck sheep and had to stay there until her dad came to her rescue. He hit the buck with a board, not realizing the board had a nail in it, and the nail stuck to the buck’s head. Carol always detested that buck. After high school she moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where she worked different jobs. From there Carol moved to Denver, Colorado, working as a nurse’s aide. It was there that she met her husband, Clyde. Carol and Clyde married in 1969, and moved to Louisiana in 1973. She passed away Saturday, December 28, 2024, at her home in Sarepta, La. at the age of 78.

Carol was a member of Planting the Seed Ministry in Sarepta, where she played the piano for many years. She kept busy with many hobbies and interests throughout her life. Carol enjoyed crocheting, baking, crafts, watching Fox News and reading her Bible. She also enjoyed spending time with her family, especially the grandchildren and the great grands. Carol was an excellent cook and she hosted many Sunday dinners after church. Carol always enjoyed going back to her home state of Minnesota as often as she could to visit with family and friends.

Carol was preceded in death by her parents, Gerrit and Dorothy (Mouw) Esselink; her husband, Clyde Guice, her daughter-in-law, Billejean Guice, and step-grandson–Bradley Meachum.

Those left to cherish her memory are her children: Jeff Guice of Sarepta, La., Patty (El) Garcia of Springhill, La., Brian (Cynthia) Guice of Stonewall, La., Douglas Guice of Mena, Ariz., Stacey Guice of Sarepta, La., and Denae (Joseph) Gillentine of Springhill, La. She is survived by 17 grandchildren: Alexis, Janey, Autumn, Lane, Ashley, Brittney, Amy, Ginna, Hannah, Landon, Brooke, Dustin, Zachary, Jasmine, Gavin, Dalton, and Gerrit and 17 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by 8 step-children: Danita Guice Russell, Pam Guice Audirsch, Sandy Guice Adams, Bonnie Guice Sales-Strozier, Debra Guice Wynn, Cecil Guice, Marvin Guice, and David Guice, numerous step-grandchildren and step great-grandchildren, her siblings: Sandi (Milt) Schonewill of Sioux Falls, SD., Dianne (Dave) Prins of Monticello, Minn., Keith (Dawn) Esselink of Leota, MN., and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

The pallbearers were grandsons and great-grandsons: Gavin, Dalton, Gerrit, Ryan, Zachary, Nathan, Cayden, Peyton, and Hunter. Honorary pallbearers: Ashley Hardiman, Brittney Bernard, Amy Henderson, Alexis Butler, Ginna Guice, Lane Guice, Janey Lindsay, Autumn Prince, Hannah Guice, Dustin Moore, Landon Guice, Brooke Guice, and Jasmine Moore.

A celebration of life and memorial service was held Thursday, January 2, 2025, at Old Sarepta Missionary Baptist Church, with Bro. Joseph Gillentine officiating. The service was at 2 p.m with burial following in Old Sarepta Church Cemetery.