The family of Carol M. Stocking extend a hug to everyone who knew Carol as a friend, volunteer, book club member, coworker, marketer, or fellow church member. On September 4, 2026, Carol moved on from this life — a life that was a remarkable expression of grace as a mother, a wife, a business leader, and a source of care and warmth for her friends, acquaintances and neighbors. Joyous, selfless service and humility were the hallmarks of who she was.
Carol Ann Mitchell was born in Buffalo, New York to James Gautz Mitchell and Winalee Gentry Mitchell. She was the youngest of three children, with Bill and Jim Mitchell as older brothers. As a child, she loved her brothers, her dogs, and swimming. When her mother started Principle Business Enterprises (PBE) in Ohio, Carol attended high school with her brothers at Principia Upper School, a private school in St. Louis, MO. After high school, Carol attended Michigan State University, graduating with a degree in Interior Design. Throughout high school and college, Carol was an avid swimmer, teaching swimming to summer campers in Maine and participating in Michigan State University’s prestigious Green Splash water ballet program.
Carol married Chuck Stocking in 1971, and the two started life in Chicago, Illinois. From those early days, the relationship gained strength every day. Anyone who knows Carol comments that Chuck and Carol’s shared life together is a partnership of love and mutual respect, cherishing the other in their unique expressions of good. While in Chicago, Carol studied to become a home health aide and served her community by supporting the educational and spiritual needs of impoverished children in the inner city. Eventually, Carol and Chuck were asked to return to Ohio to help Carol’s parents with their family business.
PARENTING AND HOMEMAKING
By 1977, Carol and Chuck were the parents of three children, Andy, Peter, and Lisa, and Carol had become fully engaged in raising and caring for the family. Her children remember always having a homemade snack, a listening ear, and lots of good advice when they arrived home from school each day. In addition, Carol convened countless activities to support her children and their friends, ranging from French club to a mini-museum program to developing a curriculum designed to foster spiritual health. Carol was a devoted parent who cared about raising well-rounded children who would make a positive difference in their community. Another thing her children remember is Carol’s love of design, color, and, especially, wallpaper, which she fueled with her part time work with the Maumee, Ohio, store Dibling Floor Coverings & Interiors. Carol made good use of her employee discount on the finest wallpaper and carpets for her home and, later, the family business. Wherever Carol lived or worked, her environment was filled with color, with every detail complementing the others.
BUSINESS LEADERSHIP
When her children left for college, Carol joined PBE full-time, bringing her caring spirit and gifted design eye to the family business. She became co-CEO with her husband Chuck and focused on marketing and design issues. Together, Chuck and Carol spurred a period of rapid growth for the company, both in terms of demand for its Tranquility incontinence products and the introduction of new products that changed the approach to caregiving and incontinence. Carol loved PBE and was a fervent advocate of its Mission to “be a principle-centered business that uplifts, enlightens, and enriches the lives of those it serves.” Carol brought a clear-eyed focus to everything she did to uplift everyone who worked at PBE as well as the users, family, and caregivers who were learning to cope with incontinence. Carol cared for each associate who worked at PBE as a member of the family, with her big heart, words of encouragement, and helpful guidance.
In support of the mission, Carol was a staunch advocate for the caregiver in product design, always striving to make Tranquility products the best products on the market. She paid meticulous attention to every detail of the design, features, and naming of Tranquility products, providing a foundation that continues to support the company today. Carol’s support for the associates extended to ensuring that they worked in a place of beauty. She managed the framed art around the building and in every office, as well as the carpets and even the interior design of the production spaces. Carol’s design eye was recognized when PBE received the American Institute of Architects Toledo’s Honor Award for the “humanity” expressed in its 2015 building project — a fitting tribute to someone who saw a factory expansion the same way she saw a loving, caring home.
PHILANTHROPIST
Fueling all of the work that Carol did was her lifelong devotion to God and, by extension, care for each of God’s children. This devotion took many forms. She was very active in her local Christian Science church in Maumee, Ohio, as a Reader, board member, and clerk. She spent countless hours caring for members of her community who needed extra support, particularly during the final years of their life. She was willing to have an impromptu Sunday School class or share a thought about God with any of her children, in-laws, or five grandchildren. Most recently, she served as President of the home caring charity, Overlook House. Her caregiving extended beyond the church to the community through participation and support of projects around the country in partnership with her best friend and partner Chuck. Although Carol enjoyed a quiet evening at home working on a puzzle or
watching a movie, she was always willing to come out to support the community with Chuck. The two of them supported many initiatives in the arts, outdoor environmental education, and development opportunities for inner-city children.
Throughout her life, Carol brought a profound healing, uplifting spirit to everything and everyone she touched. The following verse from a favorite hymn describes Carol well: “Here, O God, Thy healing presence Lifts our thoughts from self and sin, Fills with light their hidden places, When Thy love is welcomed in.”
A memorial service will be announced in the near future. Contributions in the name of Carol Stocking may be made to the Greater Toledo Community Foundation’s Seed to the Sower Fund with its focus on caregiving, economic development for marginalized urban communities, and the environment.
