Carol Ann Dexter died at the young age of 70 on March 18, 2026 in Oakdale, Minnesota. Our colorful companion Carol has left on the wind.
Born in Wausau, Wisconsin on January 8, 1956 to John Dexter and Mary Ann (Urmanski) Dexter, Carol graduated from Wausau East High School in 1974. She married Keith Bogut in Minneapolis on September 5, 1987, and in 2000 they built a home in Lake Elmo, Minnesota. Carol completed a nursing degree in 1980 at the University of Wisconsin, and received a Masters of Public Health degree in 1992 from the University of Minnesota.
Carol was a knowledgeable nurse, a competent medical manager, a caring friend to many, an ambitious gardener, and a prolific collector of color. Carol was proud of her passion for color, which she displayed in her kitchen, on her walls, out in her garden, in her clothes, and in her humor. She was the creator of fun and a builder of friendships.
Carol and Keith were avid travelers, visiting many national parks, and the Boundary Waters canoe wilderness often. Rib Mountain was a mandatory visit on trips to Wausau. Alaska was another favorite. A debilitating illness left Keith unable to do so in later years, and he died in November 2022.
Carol is survived by sister Joni (Denny) Jaecks, Niles, Michigan, and brother Peter Dexter, Ridgecrest, California. Preceding her in death were sister Kathy Dexter, brother David Dexter, her husband, and her parents. She leaves the comfort of a great circle of friends gathered in her years living in Wausau & Madison, Wisconsin, and Minneapolis & Lake Elmo, Minnesota. She also leaves her two kitty companions, Neutron and Photon, who moved in with her after the passing of brother David.
Carol greatly appreciated the kind care she received at Boulder Ponds Senior Living in Lake Elmo, and The Pillars Hospice Home in Oakdale.
In later years Carol wanted, more than anything, to travel to "see the world" (wide arm gestures). If you do so to any interesting parts of the globe, please take her along – in pictures, in memories, or in a tiny vial. She once wrote that in death, "I will finally be free to go where the wind takes me."
Do good things in her memory. Consider supporting local efforts for animal rescue, teaching children about the arts, and protecting environmental treasures.
A celebration of life is planned for 4pm on Saturday, April 18 at the Lake Elmo Event Center, Lake Elmo, Minnesota.
