Carole Loree Boven, 94, of Kalamazoo, Michigan, passed away on September 6, 2026. Born Carole Loree Hinckley on August 30, 1932, in Paw Paw, Michigan, to Esther and Keith Hinckley, Carole lived a long and full life centered on family, good friends, style, travel, and her special gift for making every occasion feel meaningful.

Carole grew up in Paw Paw and attended Michigan State University for one year before continuing her education at Western Michigan College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in science. While in college, she began working at Cooper’s, a shop in downtown Kalamazoo’s Burdick Hotel. In the 1970s, Mrs. Cooper entrusted the business to Carole and her mother, Esther. Carole later moved Cooper’s to Lovell Street and then to the Kalamazoo Mall, where she sold jewelry, handbags, purses, and other accessories. Dick and Carole traveled to Arizona and New Mexico to find turquoise jewelry for the store, combining Carole’s eye for style with her curiosity and love of travel.

After Cooper’s, Carole continued her retail career at Gilmore Brothers in downtown Kalamazoo and later at Gilmore’s at Maple Hill Mall. She had a natural sense of what was current, loved to shop, and always looked put together. If Carole told you that you “looked sharp,” it meant something.

In 1954, Carole married Richard “Dick” Boven. Together, they built a life in Kalamazoo, raised their sons, Rick and Scott, and shared 58 years of marriage before Dick’s death in 2012. They loved to travel, spending winters in Sarasota, making regular trips to Branson, and visiting new places together over the years.

Carole loved to host, often with Dick by her side, and she had a special way of making sure everyone had what they liked. She remembered your favorite soda, juice, or snack and tried to keep it stocked in the refrigerator or freezer for when you came over. Even after Dick passed away, that instinct remained with her. Christmas Day at their house meant a big family dinner, the good plates and glasses on the table, and everyone gathered together. For her grandchildren, their home also meant long summer days in the pool and traditions that became a cherished part of growing up.

Carole was preceded in death by her husband, Richard “Dick” Boven; her son, Richard “Rick” Boven; her parents, Esther (Sill) and Keith Hinckley; and her siblings, Louise Hood and Harold Hinckley.

Carole is survived by her son, Scott (Terrie) Boven; Rick’s wife, Dawn Boven; five grandchildren: Bradley (Anna), Richard (Pam), Daniel (Kassie), Ashley (Taylor) Boven-Betz, and Meghan (Trevor) Faas; twelve great-grandchildren: Kaiden, Jacob, Ellen, Maggie, Olivia, Hudson, Brayden, Lincoln, Roxy, Daniel, Chase, and Macy; nieces and nephews, Keith Hood, Tonda (Greg) Warner, Karen (Craig) Hover, and Tim (Debbie) Hood; and many friends who were part of her long and full life.