The vivacious and intelligent Carole Joyce Tulga Seaman was born March 6, 1929, in North Platte, Nebraska. Edna Marie Maine and Pastor Chester Earl Tulga welcomed their fourth child and named her after the Charles Dickens' novel ( A Christmas Carol .)  As the "Great Depression" raged, Carole's parents chose to be joyful in the selection of her name. Carol means "song of joy" and Joyce means "joyful song." Indeed, music and joy filled Carole's life as she sang in a clear soprano voice, learned from her mother to play the piano, and personally experienced the love of Jesus.

Four years later, Carole and her older siblings, Lois, Paul, and Elma, were excited to welcome their beloved younger brother, Louis. In the parsonage of the First Baptist Church of North Platte, Carole's parents taught their children to minister to ALL in need, including the poor, the hungry, and the migrants. Their loving home was filled with continuous activity, including reading Bible stories, playing board and yard games, sewing, gardening, riding bikes, swimming, ice skating, cooking, canning, playing instruments and singing.

After the family moved to the parsonage of the First Baptist Church in Brookings, South Dakota, Carole's father began a radio program. In Christmas of 1934 he took five-year-old Carole to sing a brand-new song on the radio, "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." Thus began her successful singing career.

December of 1943 found the family moving to the parsonage of Norwood Park Baptist Church in Chicago, Illinois.  Carole attended Taft High School and Tuley High School. In addition to attending school, she worked in a small grocery store where she was quickly promoted to manager when her boss became sick. When he returned, she was sent to manage a larger store. She was also employed as a model and salesgirl in an upscale ladies clothing shop.

At the age of 15 she met her lifetime love, Millard Seaman, at a Sunday school party in Chicago. She again met this South Dakota boy when her Chicago Sunday School class attended Byron Bible Camp in Huron, South Dakota. Mill and Carole became better acquainted and he told her he wanted a red head that played the piano. She joked back with him, "Is that all you want?"

Carole attended Prairie Bible Institute in Alberta, Canada, for her senior year of high school and her first year of college.  Mill became her pen pal and their relationship deepened. When Millard dropped to his knees and proposed in December of 1948, she joyfully accepted.

June 11, 1949, was the beginning of their 64-year marriage. Carole's father performed the beautiful wedding ceremony on a hot Chicago evening. In the following years each wedding anniversary was celebrated and the 25 ^th . 40 ^th , 50 ^th , and 60 ^th were extra special family reunions.

Six children blessed this union: Timothy Frederick, Terie Lou, Theodore Louis, Millard Thomas, Todd Philip, and Talmadge Earl. Carole and Mill often referred to their children as their "Tea Party." Carole said the thing she most loved about her mother role is that her children returned her love. She encouraged her family, "Be loving, kind, faithful and honest and don't say everything you know."

Carole moved many times. Living first at Wheaton College in Illinois, the couple moved to Onida, Huron, and Miller, South Dakota where they served faithfully for Sunshine Bible Academy. They next moved to help in Christian schools in Hutchinson and Wichita, Kansas before going north to another Christian school in Rochester, New York. Their final location was a move back to the "beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota."

Carole helped provide income in a number of ways. She made lifelong friends with her piano students from SBA and was a fantastic sales person. She won gifts and trips from the Swipe Company to Houston, Texas; Aspen, Colorado; Mexico; Hawaii; and Spain.

The ownership of Custer Mansion Bed and Breakfast provided the happiest times for Mill and Carole. For eleven years this family project became a source of inspiration and revenue and Carole cooked, cleaned, decorated, entertained, and provided comfortable lodging for visitors to the Hills.

In later years as a pastor's wife, Carole taught many ladies' Bible studies, joined connection groups, mentored new Christians, and played the piano and sang for church functions.

"I have a reservation in heaven that cannot be broken," Carole frequently repeated in her later years. And then she expressed her hope that her visitors would meet her there.

Carole loved the song, "Heaven is a Wonderful Place," and in the season of Christmas carols and candles, Carole traveled to her eagerly anticipated heavenly home. She was greeted in heaven by her husband, Millard Francis Seaman, her first born son, Timmy Seaman, her son-in-law, William Beasley, her grandson, Jake Seaman, her great grandson, Keaton Bussell, her parents, three of her siblings, and many other relatives.

Celebrating her life are loving family members and friends who look forward to seeing Carole again.

Children:

Terie Seaman Beasley & Terry Rivers, Ted & Becky Seaman, Tom & Jane Seaman, Todd & Heidi Seaman, and Tal & Beth Seaman;

Grandchildren:

Deidra & Scott Bartholomew, Derik & Maxine Lewis;

Dustin & Valorie Seaman, Shiloh & Tyson Hewitt;

Melissa Seaman, Montgomery & Holly Seaman, Moriah & Elizabeth Seaman;

Stephanie, Fredrick, Philip, Daniel, Staci and Renee Seaman;

Jessie & Jason Madden, Chris Johns & Kassie LaPointe, Callie & Ben Watanabe, Tim Seaman & Claire Rose;

Great Grandchildren:

Landon & Brayson Bussell, Jaden & Lukas Lewis, Grant & Emily Bartholomew;

Tyrel, Zade, Tance & Karlee Ann Seaman, Adessa, Jalee, Samera, Allie Grace & Shaeda Hewitt;

Josie & Jaxson Seaman, Zoe & Zion Seaman;

Jacob Timothy & Wesley Talmadge Madden, Waylon LaPointe Johns;

Siblings:

Louis & Lois Tulga;

In-Laws:

Maynard Seaman, Leonard Seaman, Tim & "Clik" Seaman Stahl;

Extended family :

Tulga, Seaman and Beasley family members.

Visitation will be from 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, at Kinkade Funeral Chapel at 1235 Junction Avenue in Sturgis. SD.

Celebration Service will be 10:00 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 6, 2023, at the Sturgis United Methodist Church at 1755 Ballpark Road.  A graveside time will follow at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis.

A memorial has been established with Sunshine Bible Academy for the Millard F. Seaman Scholarship.

Click on the link to view service folder