Contributions to the tribute of Carol Catherine Maurer

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The family of Carol Catherine Maurer uploaded a photo

Tuesday, July 11, 2017

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diana hunt posted a condolence

Friday, June 26, 2015

To Bill, Lillian and Eric, So very sorry to hear of the loss of your beautiful wife and mother. Carol was an amazing lady with such a gift of capturing the beauties of nature in her paintings. I remember the first time I met her when I came to teach Lillian and Eric to swim. She was a kind and gentle woman who clearly wanted the best for her children. Later on I would get to know her even better as I sometimes babysat, pet sat and house sat. Later I would marry and move nearby over on Windsor Terrace. When my oldest son became interested in art, she kindly asked to see his artwork and she encouraged him to keep drawing and painting. He is now a teacher, using art in his classroom. Carol always had the time to visit with a friend or neighbor. I will miss our visits, which maybe not often, always left me with a sense that she sincerely cared about everyone she met. My thoughts and prayers are with you all.

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Lee Kirkpatrick posted a condolence

Monday, June 8, 2015

Remarks of Lee Kirkpatrick at the Memorial Service for Carol Catherine Maurer June 6, 2015 It's a sad honor that today I get to speak of my sister's life. Two things in David's sermon particularly resonated with me. He mentioned her presence, and it made me think of something my son Ryan said about his aunt—that she was more present than anyone he had known. And it's true, Carol was present: Focused on what was before her, usually the beauty of it, and not distracted as so many of us are with thoughts extraneous to the moment. And when you were with Carol, she was focused on you. He also said how glad she was about Patrick, and how happy she was that her daughter Lillian had found the true love of her life. I recall Lillian telling me how much her mom told her she liked Patrick—liked him almost too much! Carol always appreciated handsome men! But now let me offer you a word: Tough. Probably not the first word that comes to mind when you want to describe Carol. Creative? Yes Kind? Of course. Carol was all three. But tough? My sister was tougher than I was. She was tough enough to fight through a lifetime of physical ailments, including a big one—a chemical imbalance that affected the permeability of nerve cells—that caused a bi-polar disorder. Some physical problems began showing up in her childhood. She didn't have normal vitality. It took years of our mother's persistence to find the causes and cure. It was, after all, 1950's medicine! After numerous doctors and clinics, it was determined that she didn't produce enough hydrochloric acid to digest her food properly and she had a thyroid deficiency. Two pills every day brought vitality in time for her to have great high school years with her good friends Janet Calvert and Barbara Canon—one a blonde and one a red head. (To her younger brother, these and other attributes of her girlfriends did not go unnoticed!) That brother was fascinated with the high school boys and the cars that came around. This was Southern California in the 50's: Custom cars and poodle skirts! But in those years Carol also had to be tough enough to deal with wonderful, loving parents who had their own hang-ups. Our father had an explosive temper. Our mother had a need to be always telling people what to do, and this unintentionally sent messages to her kids that did not build self-confidence. Yes, Carol had to be tougher than I ever had to be. Tough enough to: Get a job out of college in New York City in the fashion and decor publishing world. Move away from New York and her friends to Albany Oregon, a small town where she made new lifetime friendships. Restore and remodel a 1900's farmhouse. Deliver babies and raise two wonderful children. Leave her Oregon friends and make new lasting friendships in—of all places—New Jersey! Fight through not one but two major bi-polar episodes both of which required hospitalization and long recoveries. Rehab after a hip replacement. Survive and rehab after a brain aneurysm beating 5% survival odds. And she was fighting to the end doing physical therapy and swallowing exercises fighting double pneumonia. Yes, creative artist, the kind wife, mother, sister and friend was a tough fighter. And not in small part because she had some great people in her corner. So many of you here, including: Her children Lillian and Eric. Carolyn Blake who extended her life by calling 911 when no one else thought it was necessary when Carol "was only feeling faint." Lorraine Hoover who took her to the hospital with pneumonia. And through it all, you Bill. You were ever there, always supportive, pushing through to get the right help—and never once complaining. You really loved her. So Carol was tough, but as you know, she was a creative artist whose paintings brighten our lives today. And you also know that she was kind. Many of you could tell me of instances of her kindness about which I never knew living on the west coast. It wasn't something she learned, it was just way she was—even as a child. Here's an example I remember over all these years. We were probably just old enough to be left alone when our parents went out for the evening. Well, she and I got into a sibling fight. In the ensuing scuffle my foot broke a window pane, one of a series surrounding the front door. My anger quickly dissolved into terror. What would happen when our parents got home? What do you think Carol did? There was no "Now see what you did, wait 'till Dad gets home." No, not Carol. She immediately comforted me and more importantly, performed some kind of magic when our parents did get home, because I don't recall any retribution for the broken window. You see, she was my big sister, taking care of her little brother. I miss her already…. But let me close with another story from our childhood, about her toughness and our mother's concern for her. Being three years younger, I was smaller for some time. More than once I recall fighting only to lose and have Carol sitting on top of me on the living room floor. And more than once, my mother hearing the ruckus from the kitchen, would call out "Lee, don't hurt her." Yes, I'm going to miss my big sister. And I know you will too.

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Maureen Muldrow posted a condolence

Friday, June 5, 2015

We are saddened by your loss and will remember you all in our thoughts and in our prayers. May God hold you all in the palm of His hand. With our condolences: Maureen, Jeff, Maia, and Sarah Muldrow

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Dinh Williams posted a condolence

Monday, June 1, 2015

Dinh Williams made a donation to Highlands Presbyterian Church We are so sorry for your loss. Your family is in our thoughts and prayers.

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Shamoona Tareen posted a condolence

Monday, June 1, 2015

Shamoona Tareen made a donation to Highlands Presbyterian Church During this difficult time I would like to extend my most heartfelt sympathies. If you need a friend to help you through this, you know who to call.

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The Burrs posted a condolence

Monday, June 1, 2015

The Burrs made a donation to Highlands Presbyterian Church We are so sorry for your loss, your family is in our thoughts.

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Russ & Lea Waterhouse posted a condolence

Monday, June 1, 2015

Russ & Lea Waterhouse made a donation to Highlands Presbyterian Church

Carol Catherine Maurer

1938 - 2015

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