Carol M. Jaeckel, 85, died January 31 in Danbury, of natural causes. She was born July 21, 1929, in Bayonne, N.J., the daughter of Rudolph and Rose Kunze Carnatz.

She will be greatly missed by daughter Kim and her husband, Peter Bernson, of Sandy Hook, and son Kurt and his wife, Bonnie, of Rochester, N.Y.; grandchildren Emily, of Chapel Hill, N.C., Claire of Sandy Hook, and Caroline, Katie, and Christopher of Rochester. Her daughter Karen predeceased Mrs Jaeckel.

She graduated from Leonia High School in New Jersey, and then worked in New York City as a fashion model. After marrying A. Robert Jaeckel in 1954, they settled in Darien to raise their family. In her later years, she lived in Heritage Village in Southbury and Nunnawauk Meadows in Newtown.

Mrs Jaeckel loved gardening, cooking, soulful music, and the beach. She was a lifelong, die-hard Yankees fan. Her pride and joy was always her family, especially her five grandchildren, whose pictures covered her walls.

The family would like to thank the management and staff at Filosa for Nursing and Rehabilitation for their remarkably knowledgeable and devoted assistance in caring for Mrs Jaeckel in her last years.

A private memorial will be held in the summer.

Should friends desire, memorial donations can be made to the recreation fund at Filosa for Nursing and Rehabilitation, 13 Hakim Street, Danbury CT 06810.

The Honan Funeral Home, 58 Main Street, Newtown, is serving the family.