Caroline Hontz
01/07/1938 - 10/19/2015

Caroline Hontz, 77

Caroline Hontz (née Brown) died peacefully in her home in Chatham on October 19, 2015, surrounded by her sons. She was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on January 7, 1938, the daughter of Rachel (née Snyder) and Richard Brown. A graduate of Miami University (Ohio), she was a longtime Chatham resident, having moved to Chatham in 1964. After living with her family in Hong Kong from 1973-1976, she returned to Chatham and worked at the Library of The Chathams. Since leaving the Library, and until her death, she worked for Executive Meetings and Incentives, planning meetings and events around the world for many companies and organizations. She found her true calling while working at EMI when she took the reins as the tour manager for Garrison Keillor’s live weekly radio program, A Prairie Home Companion, where she was affectionately known as “The Wrangler”. She also organized many of the show’s cruises across the globe. She is survived by her brother Dick Brown and sister-in-law Patty Brown; and her brother Jack Brown and sister-in-law Joanne Brown, all of Ohio. She is also survived by her son, Jeffrey Thomas and daughter-in-law Wenche Thomas, of Rygg, Norway; her son Alan Thomas and daughter-in-law Allyn Hernandez, of Basking Ridge, NJ; and her son John Thomas and daughter-in-law Corinne Thomas, of Chatham, NJ. She cherished all of her grandchildren — Lars Ewart and Mari Caroline of Norway; Vanessa, Nicholas and Natalia of Basking Ridge; Evan and Layton of Chatham; and Charles Richard Thomas of Chatham, who predeceased her. Her first husband, Ewart Thomas, is a resident of Florham Park. She was predeceased by her second husband, Clark R. Hontz. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Library of The Chathams or the American Cancer Society. Memorial visitation hours will be from 1-3 pm and 5-8 pm on Sunday, October 25, at Wm. A. Bradley & Son Funeral Home, 345 Main St, Chatham. Words of remembrance will start from 7 pm on Sunday. Caroline’s ashes will be interred in the Snyder family plot at Ferncliff Cemetery, Springfield, Ohio. And now it’s time for her to get on the bus…


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