Carol Rose Lesnik (née Frye), 77, of Kenosha, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her family on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. Carol was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1948, and was the youngest of two children born to Ann (Mullenberg) and Chester Frye.
Carol graduated from Tremper High School in 1967, and, in 1968, Carol received her diploma from Gateway Technical Institute’s dental assistant program. Carol began her career as a dental assistant in oral surgery in 1968.
On October 4, 1969, Carol was united in marriage to her high school sweetheart, John Michael Lesnik, at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Kenosha, Wisconsin. They worked together during their marriage to build a life for their family, instilling the values of hard work, education, family connections, and a love for the outdoors.
In 1983, Carol began working with children in the Kenosha Unified School District as a Paraprofessional. She dedicated over 28 years to the learning, education, and development of children in the district. In the co-op classroom of her children’s preschool and as a volunteer reading tutor, she placed significant value on strong foundational reading skills. She proudly advocated for Kenosha’s permanent Northside library location and was thrilled to see it built in 1993. Carol often reflected fondly on her time in the school district, as she built and maintained lifelong friendships and had many laughs with her colleagues over the years.
Carol was warmly known as Grandma Carol and Auntie Carol to many beyond her grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. She prioritized building relationships, supporting, and making memories with her family and friends above all else. She didn’t miss her grandchildren’s activities, sports, and music events, where she supported not only her family but their friends and teammates as well.
Carol never missed the chance to travel to western Wisconsin to spend time with the Stluka descendants at the Freymiller and Blazek farms nestled in the picturesque hills near Woodman and Wauzeka. She enjoyed genealogy, researching and tracing the family’s lineage, and creating beautiful scrapbooks to share with loved ones. She was part of the Kenosha County and Burlington Genealogy Society and the Adventures of Lifelong Learning (ALL) UWP group of Kenosha. Carol loved spending time with the Ziolkowski and Wasiak families, especially during the annual picnics and cousin breakfasts throughout the year.
She cherished her annual trips to the lakes of northern Wisconsin, where she reunited with her “up north” family and spent treasured weeks creating lasting memories—often beating her grandchildren at Yahtzee. She found joy in decorating her home for the holidays, antiquing, and hosting friends for lively game nights. She also loved her quilting getaways and girls’ trips to the cabin on Pickerel Lake, which brought her great happiness.
Carol is survived by her son, Mark (Jeana) Lesnik, and daughter, Heather (Jody Trieloff) Lesnik; grandchildren, Ryne Lesnik, Matthew Lesnik, Logan Trieloff, and Lauren Trieloff; brothers-in-law, James Lesnik and Joseph Lesnik; nephew and nieces, Jeff (Laurdus) Lesnik, Jennifer, and Theresa Lesnik. Great-nieces and nephews, Gianna, Viviana, and Jimmy Lesnik, and a sister, Sandra (née Frye).
Carol has been reunited with her beloved husband and son, John Michael Lesnik and Michael John Lesnik; parents, Chester and Ann Frye; in-laws Stanley and Mary Lesnik; sisters-in-law, Barb Lesnik and Jane Cromer-Lesnik, and many aunts and uncles who preceded her in death.
Her legacy of love and kindness will continue to shine through the lives she touched.
Friends and family are invited to gather for a memorial celebration of Carol’s life at the Covenant at Murray Mansion, 2219 Washington Avenue, Racine, Wisconsin on Sunday, May 17th, 2026, at 10:30 am. A service will commence at 11:30 am and lunch will follow.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation directly to the following charities or to the family that will be shared with The Right Relief, benefiting caregivers supporting family, and Camp One Step, bringing camps and community to children with cancer and their siblings.
The family extends sincere gratitude and appreciation to the many family members, friends, pastoral care, medical providers, and caregivers who supported Carol and her family throughout her three-year battle with cancer and those who cared for her during her final months. Drs. Kahn, Kennedy, and Sahajpal, Heidi, NP, Ricky, Dani, Laura, and the Aurora hospice team-Danielle, Shelby, Lisa, and Jen, your care and compassion will be warmly remembered.
