Obituary: Carol Lee Meyer Carola

Carol Lee Meyer Carola (68) passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 23, after a long battle with breast cancer. The fierce and big-hearted co-owner of Bagelicious was a beloved member of the community where she lived, worked, and played. Affectionately known as the Bagel Queen, Carol and her husband Tommy have long been champions of East Cobb, a suburb of Atlanta, Ga..

Carol Lee Meyer Carola, daughter of the late Hannah and Harold Meyer, was born in Queens, N.Y., on April 18, 1955. Upon moving to Atlanta in 1983, she married her husband and quickly became a vital member of the community. She and Tommy worked side by side for nearly 40 years.

She was a hard worker and a perfectionist, but above all, she was loyal. Most of the staff at Bagelicious have been there for 30+ years. No small feat in today’s work environment, especially in the restaurant industry. Her restaurant family loved and respected her, and they often spent Sunday afternoons together sharing a meal at Carol and Tommy’s home.

Carol had an amazing memory for names, faces and birthdays. She knew every customer by name, including their children and grandchildren. She had a way of making everyone feel special with her genuine, heartfelt smile.

Despite the demands of the business, her husband Tommy, their children, and their grandchildren were the center of her world. She never missed a dance performance for Hannah or one of Alex’s baseball games. And when her grandsons came along, she did the same – loving every minute of it. She adored her two grandsons, spending valuable time with them several days a week and teaching them life’s important lessons.

She was the preeminent booster, advocate, and fan. Legendary for her support of the local community, she gave from the heart. Scores of local teams, schools, and organizations benefited from her and her husband’s generosity through the years.

Carol cared for her friends deeply, and nothing was ever too much. She didn’t ask what was needed because she somehow knew, and just made it happen – even when she was going through her own hell.

She is survived by her husband, Tommy, daughter, Hannah Lyndie Dombrowski, son, Alex George Carola, grandchildren, Landon and Jaxon Dombrowski, siblings, Roslyn and Alan Barkoff, Maureen Levy, and Melvin and Donna Meyer, as well as her nieces, nephews, and grandnieces and grandnephews.

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