13/09/2026
Hello friends,
It is my sad duty to share that Carol Hollenkamp has passed away. She passed peacefully on Sunday, September 6, after a brief but serious illness.
To everyone who knew Carol, it is no small understatement to say that her gentle light filled every space she entered. She had a remarkable way of making people feel seen, heard, and valued simply through her presence. She received people with warmth and kindness, became the connection they needed, and always took in and amplified the shine around her.
Carol was the very first employee of Poppets Coffee. As a lifelong best friend of the owner, joining the Poppets family was a natural fit from the start. She managed our location at 2nd Street Market for years, where she became a beloved part of the market community and touched the hearts of so many customers, coworkers, and friends. Her kindness, humor, and spirit will always be woven into Poppets Coffee and into the lives of everyone fortunate enough to know her.
Her indelible spirit will now have to carry on through all of us. It is impossible to put into words the depth of this loss or the impact Carol made in so many lives. Her family would truly love to see and be surrounded by people from throughout her life... as would I... and we warmly invite everyone who knew and loved Carol to attend her service.
Celebration of Life
Saturday, September 19th
Routsong Funeral Home
2100 E. Stroop Rd.
Kettering, Ohio
- Visitation begins at 1:00 p.m.
- Memorial service begins at 3:00 p.m.
- Reception to follow
Carol also had a vivacious love of critters especially insects. Monarch butterflies held a particularly special place in her heart, though moths and lightning bugs certainly deserve honorable mentions, too.
I am in the process of setting up a memorial fund with Monarch Joint Venture to make a donation in Carol’s name. Everyone is welcome to contribute. If you would like to participate, you may send a donation through Venmo to -Thomas-365 (last four digits: 7782). If you prefer to make a separate donation directly, that is wonderful as well.
We hope to see as many of you as possible as we gather to celebrate Carol’s beautiful life and the light she brought to all of ours.
With love,
Karen Becker Thomas