Carol was interviewed by Dr. Nancy Rosanoff  on The Listening Place Program, Pleasantille Public TV, in the summer of 2003.  To hear Carol talking about her life journey, go to http://www.pctv76.org/show.php?epid=284.  

Thanks to Stacie, Deb, John, Paul, Sue, Sarah and others who helped to make today's Memorial Service a fitting tribute to Carol's life and legacy.  

From Carol's Memorial Card:

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened"  Dr.Seuss

Thank you Carol, for a life well lived.   

Carol's service is scheduled to begin at 12:30 pm on Sunday, December 15th at Hubbard Hall, 25 E. Main Street in Cambridge, NY.  

 In keeping with Carol's shamanic roots, there will be drumming, rattling, and a guided shamanic journey.  Please  bring your rattles, drums and/or singing bowls. In keeping with Carol's Celtic roots, there will be singing and and storytelling in remembrance of Carol's life.  To close the ceremony, we will be led in a Shungo ceremony, which derives from the Shuar people of the Amazon.

An opportunity to gather socially and to share food at the Roundhouse Bakery will follow the formal ceremony.

We look forward to being with you in celebration and commemoration of Carol's life.  If you have a photo you'd like to share, please bring it.  There will be a board for posting photos.  

There will be a memorial mass for Carol on Thursday, Dec.12 at 10 AM at St Patrick's Catholic Church in Prattsburg, NY, with a reception to follow at the Antique Inn:  2950 State Route 54A, Penn Yan, NY  14527.  Phone number for the Antique Inn is: 315 536 6576. 

Please join us for a midday memorial celebration of Carol's life on Sunday, December l5th, in Cambridge, NY.  Details will be posted on this website once they have been arranged.  If you have any questions, please ask them in a comment to this post, so that others can see the question and read the reply.  I will reply as soon as possible.
If you have received an e-vite through your e-mail, please RSVP on that site.  If you are hearing about this invitation through this weebly, and would like to join us, please  RSVP via e-mail to  Debora at <[email protected]>   Feel free to share this invitation with others. This is a public event. 

Hubbard Hall is located at 25 East Main Street, Cambridge, NY 12816.  I hope to see you there on the December l5th. 

Best, 

Barbara

Hello,

Some of you have requested Sue Schneider's home address so that you can send her personal notes.  Sue has given me permission to post her address:

Sue Schneider
295 route 247
Rushville, NY  14544

Thanks,

Barbara

Hello,
Yesterday, Carol returned home (smiling all the way) to Bennington and spent the remainder of the day in the company of her family. Her bed was in the living room, the best spot in the house.  She "chatted much of the day on and off", enjoying her beautifully prepared home.  Thank you Paul for your meticulous attention to Carol's home. 

Later in the evening, Carol's breathing started to change and she was dozing more, becoming less responsive. Sue was aware of the change and sat by her side.  At  2 am this morning, Sue called hospice to check in and decided that it would be best call her family at the local hotel.  By 3:30 am, everyone had assembled and Carol was "clearly in transition." 

Sue said that she and her family took turns holding Carol's hand, speaking to her in soothing tones and sitting vigil.  By this time, Carol was not able to speak and appeared to be restless.  "Beth picked up a rattle and began to shake."  Immediately, "Carol relaxed, her shoulders went down, she became more animated, her eyebrows raised,  her eyes moved beneath her closed eyelids, and a smile came to her face."  The family took turns rattling through the morning hours and Carol remained relaxed.  Softly, the family read to Carol from the comments left on this website, letting Carol know how deeply and broadly she had touched the lives of others.  The family rattled and watched, as the intervals between Carol's inhalations became longer.  Then, "she just breathed out one more time and that was it...It was very peaceful."  

A little later in the morning, the hospice nurse was called and pronounced her.  Carol was washed, cleaned up, and cared for as "this was her style."  Then, Sue said, "we did the Irish wake thing, not raucous (like some Irish wakes can be) but we told stories."  Later, when the family was ready, Carol's body was taken to the funeral home.  Carol had requested that she be cremated. Her ashes will be buried in the family plot in her home town.

Before Carol died, she requested that her shamanic friends Deb and John, organize a ceremony for her.  There will be two shamanic ceremonies for Carol, the first of which will occur this Sunday, October 27th, 10 am, at her home in Bennington (71 Everett Road, Bennington Vermont).  This will be a simple ceremony, with drumming to support Carol on her journey.  It will be held in her yard, so please bring appropriate outerwear and, if you have them, your drums and rattles.  Following this ceremony, there will be a potluck.  Please bring food to share and serving utensils.  Tea and cider will be provided.  Also, if you have any photographs of Carol, please bring these as well.  As you know, Carol lost all of her photographs in her house fire, and it would be lovely for her family to have photographs of Carol. If you don't have time to make a copy for Carol's family, bring them anyway and you can send a copy later.  A more formal ritual/ceremony will be organized in a month or so.

If anyone has questions regarding the circle, please feel free to contact John Hearst at:[email protected] or Debbie Klein at: [email protected].

There will also be a Catholic mass to honor Carol.  As soon as plans are finalized, I will add a post to this website.  The service will probably be held in Prattsburg.  Details will be announced. 

If you would like to make a donation, please contribute in Carols' name to one of the two following organizations.  Carol believed strongly in the benefits provided by both of the following organizations:

Second Chance Animal Center
6779 Rt. 7A
Shaftsbury, VT 05262
802-375-0249
www.2ndchanceanimalcenter.org/‎

or

Project Against Violent Encounters (PAVE)
471 Main Street
Bennington, VT
pavebennington.org/‎

This website will be maintained for an indefinite period of time.  I will add another blog page, so that you can express your condolences to the family or share stores of Carol.  You can also post questions.  I will answer them if I can or refer them to the family.

Some years ago, I was honored to work with a Native American gentleman who was preparing for his death.  He gave me the following traditional Navajo prayer to read at his memorial service. For some reason I think of it now and offer it to Carol.

In Beauty May I Walk

In beauty may I walk;
All day long may I walk;
Through the returning seasons may I walk.

Beautifully will I possess again
Beautifully birds
Beautifully butterflies…

On the trail marked with pollen may I walk;
With grasshoppers about my feet may I walk;
With dew around my feet may I walk.

With beauty before me may I walk
With beauty behind me may I walk
With beauty above me may I walk
With beauty all around me,
may I walk.

It is finished in beauty.
It is finished in beauty.
It is finished in beauty.

To our beautiful Carol..may you walk in beauty. 

with appreciation,

Barbara

Hello

Carol left Dartmouth-Hitchcock at 12:15 today and arrived home at 2:30 pm.  Sue said,  "She smiled all the way home."  Once settled into her home, "Carol held court from her bed."  I could hear the satisfaction in Sue's voice and appreciate her image.  Currently, Carol and Sue are meeting with the hospice nurse about Carol's medications.  Carol is in good pain and symptom control. 

Carol has requested that there be "no visitors"  the remainder of today and tomorrow, as family are still visiting.  "A special aunt" is arriving tomorrow, and Carol wants to reserve the day to be with her.

For those of you who have not seen Carol's lovely new home, it has the feel of a sanctuary.  The "cottage" has wooden floors throughout and beautiful light flowing into the living spaces from all directions, including the sky above as there is a skylight in the cathedral ceiling.  A wood stove is available for supplemental heat and atmosphere, and there is room for Carol's caregivers Sue and Beth.  The grounds surrounding Carol's home are park-like, with gorgeous old trees and the mountains rising up behind the house to the west.  While situated in the city, around the corner from the hospital,  the house feels like an enchanted cottage in the woods.  Bast has room to roam, and was seen crossing the front porch earlier this afternoon.  Bast hasn't visited Carol yet, but will probably do so once the commotion has subsided.

Thanks to everyone who visualized Carol's journey home to Bennington.  She and her family are very happy to be there now.  Sue printed out 90+ messages from you and will continue to convey your well wishes to Carol. 

I will speak with Sue later tonight and again tomorrow so that I can keep you posted.  I will let you know as soon as I do when Carol is receiving visitors.  Thank you for your understanding. 

In the meantime, please keep sending Carol your love and appreciation.  I will let you know if she has any special requests.

Giving thanks,

Barbara

Hello

Carol's discharge home was postponed.  The Dartmouth-Hitchcock palliative care team wants to make sure that her picc line and medication regimen are well established before sending her home.  The tentative plan is for Carol to be discharged tomorrow. 

Family are still arriving from out of town.  Carol rested this afternoon after a foot massage and is planning to meet with newly arrived members of her family later this evening.  She is alert and comfortable. I could hear laughter in the background while I was on the phone with Sue. 

Carol will be transported via ambulance and have quite a procession following her when she goes home.  Her parents are planning to stay in the Bennington area along with other family members.  Sue and Beth will be Carol's primary caregivers and stay at the house with Carol.   

The house has been well prepared and, according to Anastasia, looks beautiful. 

Carol's niece, Sarah, will print out copies of your weebly messages so that they can be read. There are now 84 posts.  I will forward future posts to Sarah, who will be "managing the technology" from now on.   Carol is not accepting phone calls or texts on her phone as it is too much to manage.  

Please continue posting and, above all, send Carol wishes for a safe and successful trip home tomorrow!  Sue will call me tomorrow with an update.  

Warm regards,

Barbara