Where to begin? Carol was my older sister, therefore always part of my life. We shared so many things and yet were so very different.

            As a young person, I remember her teen-age years. Listening to her ’50’s music on the record player, getting dance lessons from her in the living room- the mambo, the cha-cha, the lindy. She was the quintessential teen-ager. She loved parties and dating. I can remember her dates sitting waiting in the living room - plied with snacks by our mom- until that moment when the bedroom door would open and she’d emerge in her special dress, like a princess, for all eyes to admire.

            On my many travels away from New York, she visited as often as she could and was supportive of my relationship with David and interested in our adventures, often wanting to be part of them. She loved travel and adventure and at one point encouraged me to move out of New Orleans so she’d have a new place to visit.

            We had our ups and downs, but we shared the ability to laugh together. Even now, there are things that happen that I want to tell her, because only she could appreciate the humor there. Our mother died just three years before Carol and with Carol’s passing all the stories and laughs we shared about our mom are gone too. She had even sent me a birthday card from our mother, supposedly from heaven, filled with all Carol humor.

            Carol liked change and was always looking for a new job, a new apartment, a new boyfriend. To her girlfriends, she was long-term loyal. She sought experiences and fought for what she wanted, whether it be a job or influence in her union at work. She always wanted to get ahead and wanted the same for her friends and co-workers, especially if she thought they were undervalued or underpaid. She was a force to reckon with for many of her bosses - and often for her family as well.

            And what she wanted, she went after right away. There was no waiting. In death she seemed to have chosen the same path. It’s still hard for me to comprehend that someone can die that fast.

            I once asked her if she believed in re-incarnation and she said yes. So maybe her soul is circling out there, somewhere, contemplating already her next life. Hopefully, she’s not fighting with mom…..or arguing with God that the angels are overworked.

            So for your next life, Carol, take your time, choose wisely and say “hi” to mom.

 Love, Maxine

Two shots of Carol. One studio portrait from 1957- likely her prom- the other from thirty years later, in 1987, still striking quite the elegant pose.

Photos of Carol and sister Maxine, one from 1948, one contemporary. The artifact is presented intact. Maxine had stapled the two together as part of a birthday card for Carol- sisters back then and ever after.

Here are daughter Sharon, mom Carol and son Scott in vintage B&W.

This photo was a standout from a cache of old pictures. A lovely black and white portrait of Carol, taken by sister Maxine for a college photography class, circa 1963-64.

Here’s a nice shot from a trip to New Orleans in 2002, featuring Carol and her niece Ingrid.

Found some fun footage of Nanny and Chloe from Thanksgiving ‘04. Chloe’s content in Nanny’s arms, playing with a purring toy cat.

Some fun footage of Nanny and Chloe, who interrupts with a little burp. From 2004.

This Thursday, we celebrate as we hope you do, with family and friends, those near and dear to us.

There is a sadness that Carol is no longer with us, but we’re thankful for her memory and our shared times together.

Here’s a photo of Carol with grand-daughter Chloe from Thanksgiving 2004, Chloe’s very first.

Carol was my only Aunt.

As a child, in my eyes, she was kind, funny, glamorous and adventuresome. I was jealous of my cousins- Carol spoiled them with sparkling colorful things. She made sure they had a home that was clean and fun and warm. I remember her big laugh that always embarrassed my cousin Sharon. I thought it was great that the world could hear her enthusiasm over a silly joke. She always gave me little presents that meant so much; her high school Autograph book, from which I practiced and copied her beautiful script style until it was mine as well. Her gold mazzuzzah, which I thought was so beautiful, I wore it around my neck until I eventually lost it in a soccer field in Mexico where we had set up camp with a Mexican Circus. She introduced me to the smell that is my signature smell still: tea rose. She always showed an interest in me as a person and that made me feel so special.

Carol always had great friends. She prided herself in the fortune to be a part of such wonderful characters, and made sure to plan lots of adventures with them. She chose unusual, intelligent and beautiful women to socialize with. They say you can tell a lot about a person by the people they hang with.

As I grew up, I became quite busy with first my career and then a family and then a move half across the country. Carol always made the extra effort to get together, to my shame, I did not return the effort. Going to visit her at her beloved beach home never happened.

I think that Carol Lived her life to the fullest, always impatiently steaming ahead. I think she was a great addition to this world and affected it in a positive way. People laughed because of her. They did new things because of her. They were irritated sometimes because of her, but only because she cared so much to see positive results.

Family dynamics are such a strange creature, we all have this strange chemistry together, Love, frustration, Love, expectations, Love, disappointment, Love, Hope, Laughter, a big adventure of life as one, and many more that come and go through it. I am so very glad that Carol was a part of my family and life. She was a strong, burning light of Joy, interest, proactivity, and Love. I do really, really miss her, I still cannot believe she is gone.

Lots of Love and thoughts Carol, where ever you are right now.
Ingrid.