In loving memory of Carol Condee Taylor, 1934-2025

Jane Adelaide Hauser was born in Toronto, Canada on December 21, 1934.  Three months later, Carol Condee was born in Chicago, IL on the same date, this time to Jesse and Muriel Condee.  The American adoptive birth certificate had erased her Canadian identity, and Carol spent her whole life trying to reconcile the two.

Through the years, life experiences added more names.  Her dad called her "Sis", and her friends used "Speedy" because she did everything in a hurry. At age 22 she married Charles (Chuck) Hallberg, changing her last name. "Mom" was added to her titles a year later. Over the years she was "President" in various civic organizations, "Leader" in Girl Scouts, "Grandma Carol" to the Pals in Awana, and "Mom" to other people's children whose parents didn't attend their school events. Taylor was added with a second marriage. "Snookers" the clown did evangelistic outreach. Roles in plays included "Gran" in her church's annual Christmas pageant, "Yenta" in Fiddler on the Roof, etc. As her children grew up "Grandma" and "Great Grandma" were added, and on mission trips to Mexico or Ukraine she was "Carolina." To her African friends Carol was known as "Mama Lu."

"Lu", was a title given to Carol by the students of New England Bible College while she worked as the secretary at First Baptist Church in South Portland and the College occupied the basement.  They called her "The Lady Upstairs" because she was conflicted on a title. Soon she became "Lu" to a generation of young people who loved to sit on the office counter and chat.

Carol loved meeting people and sharing a story or a laugh. She always said that people were her hobby because "People have more fun than anyone." Memories from childhood centered on friends, choir, band, summer outings and horseback riding, new dresses for piano recitals, formals, dances and dates. Recently her happy place was Becky's Diner in Portland, where she greeted people at every booth coming and going and knew the staff and regulars by name.

Carol's string of Sunday School pins attests to her regular attendance at the Episcopal Church.  As a child she happened upon Rev. J. Vernon Magee on the radio. He reminded her of a grandpa and she loved to listen to his sermons. It would take many years for religion to grow into an understanding of salvation through following Jesus, but the seeds were planted for reconciliation with God.

As an adult, Carol developed an insatiable desire to learn about everything! She went to college after having a family and became a Licensed Practical Nurse. Later she earned a BA in Counseling at Oak Hills Bible College and a Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Azuza Pacific University. She took classes at New England Bible College so she could interact with the students, but always commented on something new she had learned. The notes in her Bible are almost as plentiful as the text, and her filing cabinets were chock full of her writings on every subject.

Carol loved music – she was always in a choir and liked to dance to peppy music on her radio. She had the opportunity to travel with choirs, and in her sixties a choir trip to Ukraine sparked a love for that country.  She returned a few more times to teach English at evangelistic camps. A lot of Carol's varied life experiences came about where music, people and Christian outreach intersected. She wanted everyone to know Jesus!

And the rest of the story - Carol recently marveled that she and Chuck, both adopted with no known blood relatives, had created a family for themselves! Over the years the two of them gradually reconciled. They were both over the moon when he moved to Maine to enter a memory care home.  It was as if all of the intervening years had melted away and they were as much in love as when they first married.

It's impossible to briefly sum up 90 years, so here is what Carol spent her life learning and would want you to know: God loves you!  She prayed multiple times a day for family and friends who have not yet been reconciled to God. Every time she heard a siren she stopped whatever she was doing to pray for "my guys" – the police, firemen, EMT's, 911 dispatchers, etc. - and always ended with family and friends. Knowing God had freed Carol from trying to find herself.  She knew she was God's child; she spent the last few months asking Him to take her home.  On February 25, 2025 He granted that request and she is finally home.

Carol was preceded in death by Charles Hallberg. She is survived by their three children, Clark Hallberg of Janesville, WI, Caryn Hasbrouck (Peter) of South Portland, ME, and Christen Kleinschmidt of Temecula California, nine grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Maine Medical Center for their excellent, cheerful care during the last two weeks of Carol's life.

Donations in Carol's memory may be directed to:
Greg and Bonnie Harrison, Hearts of Hope Ukraine Providing a safe haven for orphans aging out of the orphanage system in Ukraine. Each one has the opportunity to find their hope and rest in Jesus Christ our Saviour. " https://www.heartsofhopeukraine.com/donate

David and Katrina Hasbrouck, missionaries in Spain under Avant Ministries serving at the Malaga Media Center (David) and Comunicando Vida (Katrina). https://avantministries.org/give

Abba: A Woman's Resource Center https://abbapregnancychoice.org/