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Gift-giving was her love language...Carolyn was also a giver of quality time, tender touch, acts of service and words of affirmation.

Age 82, of St. Paul, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loved ones, and into the loving arms of her Lord and Saviour on July 12, 2026.

Kind, generous, caring and classy, with a fun glimmer of a rebellious side...this best describes Carolyn. She was a woman strong in her faith who loved her family and friends immensely. It was her life’s pride and joy being a wife, mother, grandma, and great-grandma.

She always greeted everyone with a bright smile, warm hug and was always there to listen, give wise advice, tell a witty one-liner, serve delicious desserts and help in thoughtful ways only she could. Gift-giving was her love language and while that definitely included her thoughtful tangible gifts she so thoughtfully gave, Carolyn was also a giver of quality time, tender touch, acts of service and words of affirmation.

Carolyn was always the best dressed with her style on point for every occasion, whether it was a lovely pair of high heels to accent a perfectly tailored dress suit while she helped brides find their dream wedding gown when she managed The Wedding Shoppe, or a fun fringed leather Harley jacket and chaps to go adventuring on the back of a motorcycle across the states. Carolyn knew all the best designers and definitely subscribed to the thought of never underestimate the power of a good outfit and the impact it can have.

The special thing about Carolyn, though, was she didn’t follow fast trends, she made fashion her own by firmly knowing who she was in her heart and expressing it by the way she showed up and lived. A class act with a zest for fun.

Carolyn enjoyed being in the great outdoors with family, hiking up north, gardening, and traveling, especially on a motorcycle with the wind in her hair. She had a heart for animals and rescued many amazing dogs over her life, including her most recent love, Duke. She loved music, shopping and decorating a picturesque Christmas home to rival any high-end retailers display. She had a talent for creating a beautiful home full of love welcoming to anyone; her home was both the perfect place to host parties and to curl up with a cup of coffee and connect one-on-one.

She was an angel on earth and will be greatly missed.

Preceded in death by husband, James Koller; and parents, Norbert & Lucy (Charles) Bushman.

Survived by children, Jim (Sharon) Koller and Paula (Nick) Lewis; grandchildren, Nicole (James), Nicholas, Sam, and Allie; great-grandchildren, Nori, Vinny, Tommy, Raymond, and Jackson; siblings, LuAnn Elm, Kathy Palmer, Cherie Leidenfrost, and Ken (Melodee) Bushman; life-partner, Al Rieder; and the Rieder family.

Please join us for her memorial service at 11:00 am Thursday, August 6 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 7600 Cahill Ave. E., Inver Grove Heights, MN. Visitation at the church from 10:00 - 11:00 am Thursday with coffee and dessert gathering to follow worship.

In lieu of sending flowers, the family is kindly requesting for donations to be made in Carolyn’s name to one of her favorite animal rescues: The Bond Between. She had the biggest heart for animals, rescuing over 12 dogs over the course of her life, and a donation to this amazing rescue in her name would be an honor. 

Make a donation in Carolyn’s name here

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