Pinellas County – Carol Jean Girard Rutter, age 84, passed away Tuesday, September 15th, 2020 at her home in Saint Petersburg Florida where she was with her children and grandchildren celebrating her homecoming after battling complications at Saint Anthony’s Hospital from a fall earlier that month.    Carol was born December 19th, 1935, in Ashtabula Ohio.  She was the daughter of Peter and Christine Girard of Girard’s Nursery in Saybrook Ohio.

Carol was a devout Christian and mother to her three children Michael David Rutter of Conneaut Ohio, Renee Michele Williams, and Mark Steven Rutter in Saint Petersburg, Florida.  She has 14 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren.

She was an accomplished cosmetologist nearly her entire life where her patrons were truly her friends.   Having been raised on a nursery, Carol also adopted her father’s love for plants and propagation and so wherever she abided was also a makeshift nursery of her own where she nurtured flowers and plants of all kinds which flourished under her loving care.  Her other hobbies included knitting, sewing, and crosswords.  Besides her love for plants and crafts, she was also a steadfast and sure source of unconditional love and support for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren who loved having a girls night in with their gram or just spending time in her presence.   She was strong, independent, and accomplished anything she set her mind to.  Her love for her Lord and her beautiful country were unsurpassed. 

Carol was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers Peter Girard Jr.,   Joseph Girard, and her best friend and sister, Clareen June Eller.   Services will be held on September 17, 2020, at 5 PM at the Veterans Funeral Care on 830 N. Belcher Rd. Clearwater, FL 33765 ~for immediate family only due to the pandemic.   Later service will be held with family and friends to celebrate her precious life. 

She will be missed so much.