Carol Ann Barila

On Friday November 10^th, 2017 Carol Ann Barila lost her life after an extensive, seven-year battle with Breast Cancer. She died peacefully in her home surrounded by her family. Carol was 59. 

Carol Ann Barila was born in Madison, Wisconsin on November 25th, 1957 to Ann and Edward Mulhall. Carol was born number ten into a large family which consisted of eleven siblings. As a child Carol enjoyed getting into trouble with her older sisters and enjoyed being a self-described “Tomboy”. She attended St. Patrick’s school in Madison until her family moved to Ontario, California in 1968. She graduated from Chaffey high school in 1975. She then attended the University of Wisconsin at Madison, as well as Chaffey College in California. In June of 1981 she married Nicholas Barila and together they started a family. In March of 1984 Michael was born, and soon after Matthew came along in December of 1985. In 1994, Carol and her family eventually settled down in Salt Lake City, UT. A hard-worker, Carol worked in several different positions in grocery, travel, and communications and was often recognized for her talents and abilities. She and Nick divorced in 1999, but remained close friends throughout her life. Carol decided to finish her college degree and enrolled at the University of Phoenix. While in college, Carol demonstrated her intelligence and industriousness, eventually graduating Magna Cum Laude with a double-major Health and Human Services and Marketing, in 2009. Some of Carol’s favorite past-times included trips to Wendover, vacations, home improvement projects, staying connected to friends and family, and fishing with her sons. However, Carol’s true passion in life was the people in her life. Throughout her life and its many challenges, Carol’s compassion and love for others stayed constant; From her children to perfect strangers, Carol always found the good in people and tried to make them feel welcomed in her life. Her warm smile, sense of humor, compassion, wit, and selflessness created a magnetic personality that people wanted to be close to. In 2010 Carol was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast Cancer. Carol’s will and determination to live was truly inspirational, especially considering she outlived her original six-month timeline by six-and-a-half years and she had battled cancer multiple times in her life. Just as inspirational, however, was how in the last seven years of her life, amid chronic pain and discomfort, Carol’s inner light always shown through in her strength, humor, and compassion for others.

Carol is survived by her two sons Michael (Laura) and Matthew (Ashlee); Grandchildren Kimberlee, Katelyn (Taylor), and Janie; and her great-grandchild, Birdie; Siblings Robert, Deed (Denny), Rick (Sharon), Mike, Dan (Debbie), Sandy, Tim (Rhonda), Mary (Mark), and Monica (Carl); and a vast network of beloved nieces, nephews, and friends. Carol is preceded in death by her parents Edward Mulhall (1975) and Ann Mulhall (2006), brothers Edward Jr. (1996), Jeffrey (1949).

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday November 28, 2017 at 11:00 AM at St. Thomas Moore Catholic Church, 3015 Creek Road, Cottonwood Heights, with a luncheon to follow. 

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donation be made to The Cancer Wellness House of Salt Lake City, Utah.