Age 83
Beloved friend of many, a lover of family, a lover of community, and a woman of deep faith. Sister Carolyn embodied a joyful presence and smile that touched everyone who knew her.
Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the eldest of seven children, she was the family initiator, organizer, and teacher. She first encountered the Sisters of Mercy at Our Lady of Cincinnati College where she had received a scholarship. At the age of 18, Carolyn entered the Sisters of Mercy in Cincinnati, Ohio. She earned a bachelor’s degree in French, English, and Philosophy from Our Lady of Cincinnati College and a master’s degree in philosophy from Middlebury College in Vermont.
She taught French at McAuley High School in Piqua, Ohio, McAuley High School in Toledo, Ohio, and was an instructor in French at Edgecliff College in Cincinnatti, Ohio. To deepen her language skills in French, she lived a year in Paris, France.
Next, she moved to the Appalachian territory of Richlands, Virginia, for 17 years, where she did social work with coal miners and their families. She was especially involved with issues related to black lung disease. She served the poor, worked for justice, and fought for the rights of coal miners. To her surprise she was eventually elevated to Secretary of the now revitalized Black Lung Association whose membership included thousands of miners. Finally, after years of preparation and hard work, a bill of worker’s rights was sent by the lawyers, to the U.S. Congress for a vote. Carolyn herself organized over 200 miners to travel to Washington, DC to be present for the final vote which passed the bill.
After her return from Richlands, Sister Carolyn served on the Mercy New Membership Team for ten years accompanying women interested in becoming Sisters of Mercy. She retired from that ministry when Parkinson’s disease made it too difficult for her to travel. For over fifteen years she dealt courageously with her illness.
Not only was Carolyn gifted in music, singing, teaching, and community organizing; she also had artistic interests, painting nature scenes with watercolor. Carolyn enjoyed square dancing; doing crossword puzzles, and “anything outdoors.” Best of all Carolyn was patient, kind, playful, prayerful, and soft-spoken.