NEW JERSEY — Carol Susan Dilley Jaudes departed this life peacefully on December 14, 2023, following a brief battle with cancer.
She was born on March 12, 1955 to Kathleen and the late Edward Dilley. Carol grew up in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, earned a Bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University and taught music to elementary students before beginning her career on the stage. Her career as a professional actress gave her opportunities to perform across the United States, Canada, and Great Britain. Some of Carol’s favorite roles include Maria in The Sound of Music, Eileen in Too Many Girls, Annelle in Steel Magnolias, Harpo in Day in Hollywood/Night In The Ukraine, and Dolly in Hello Dolly. Carol received the coveted Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Leading Actress in Chicago Music Theater for her performance of Young Belle in Little Me. She recreated this role at Ford’s Theater in Washington, DC earning a Helen Hayes Award nomination. Most recently, Carol appeared on Broadway in the musical CATS as Jennyanydots, the tap-dancing Gumbie Cat. Carol left musical theater in 1999 to take a position as the Special Events and Arts Ministries Director for the Eastern Territory of the Salvation Army. In this role, Carol pioneered a new form of communicating God’s message through the arts fostered by her amazing capacity to demonstrate faith and kindness in all her endeavors. She retired from the Salvation Army in October 2023, leaving behind a legacy of excellence, genuine goodness, and creativity. Carol attended the Montclair Citadel Corps where she was a devoted soldier in the Salvation Army. She dedicated herself to the youth programs wholeheartedly directing the annual Christmas Pageant with an enthusiasm worthy of a Broadway production.
She is survived by her mother, Kathleen Dilley; husband of 35 years, Christian Jaudes; her daughter and son-in-law, Jon and Jacy Knaggs; and her biggest fans, her three granddaughters, Sarah, Hannah, and Samantha.
Carol was preceded in death by her father Edward Dilley, her sister Nancy Gibbs and brother Mark Dilley.
In addition to the memorial service held at the Montclair Citadel Corps in New Jersey, there will be a memorial service for Carol on Saturday, January 13, 2024 at Mt. Vernon First United Methodist Church. The visitation will be from 10am-11am. The service will begin at 11am. The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Mt. Vernon First United Methodist Church and The Salvation Army.
Call Hughey Funeral Home at 618-242-3348 or visit hugheyfh.com for further information.