Carol Lee (Wilkerson) Cruze

Carol Wilkerson Cruze, 69, of Knoxville, after a 16 year battle with ovarian cancer, moved peacefully on Sunday, May 18, 2025 from this world into the promised Paradise of our heavenly Father. Carol graduated with the Gibbs High School class of 1974 and went on to graduate from the UTK Business School of Marketing. Spending the next 25 years being mom to 4 children and mentor and role model to countless others, she pursued post graduate studies to attain both a Registered Nurse and Family Nurse Practitioner degrees from UTK School of Nursing. She is preceded in death by her parents Carson and LaVerne Wilkerson, siblings Kathy Wilkerson Rowden, Dennis Wilkerson, and Cindy Wilkerson Bryant.  She leaves behind her soulmate of 45+ years Guille Cruze, her children Matthew (Sarah) Cruze, Meggie (Stayko) Staykov, Kelsey (Josh) Reese, Rachel Cruze, 9 grandchildren, and brother Thomas Wilkerson. Several nieces and nephews.   A Celebration of Life Service with be held at Fellowship Church 8000 Middlebrook Pike at 2:00PM on Friday, May 23, 2025 and the family will greet friends following the service.  Gifts can be made to homesoflove.org or Homes of Love 111 Loudon Road #103 Knoxville, TN 37934.  Condolences may be left at www.mynattfh.com.