Carol L. Schwarzer, 79, crossed over into the loving arms of God on Sept. 14, 2009.
She was born Feb. 11, 1930, in Oak Park, Ill. to Adna and Carolyn Johnson. Her family later moved to Connecticut.
After graduating from a local high school, she attended Bates College, Me., where she met and later married Peregrin F. Schwarzer. The couple lived in Andover, Mass., and Mercer Island, Wash.,, then settled in Harvard Mass., in 1961. They moved to Fitchburg, Mass., in 2005. Carol and Perry celebrated their 59th anniversary last August.
Carol is survived by her husband, Perry, and their five children and families. These include Karin Hamilton, widow of James Hamilton, of Old Lyme, Conn.; Peregrin J. Schwarzer and Audrey Kilcoyne of Heath, Mass.; Peter and Marylee Schwarzer of Holden, Mass.; Christopher and Janet Schwarzer of Mansfield Mass.; and Kurt and Sharlene Schwarzer of Block Island, R.I.; grandchildren Jessica Hamilton and her partner, Donna Weeks; Brett Hamilton and his wife, Elizabeth; Kaitlin, Emily,
Christopher, Kyle, Carolee, Delaney and Mark Schwarzer; and Patrick and Brian Kilcoyne; great-grandchildren, Brianna Collins, Jacob Gergler, and Helena Hamilton. She also leaves a sister, Barbara Hardy and her husband, Paul; and an "adopted" daughter, Setsuko Nishikawi, of Japan, her husband, Ken and their sons; and many friends.
Carol was a strong leader and a force for change who balanced her strength with a soft heart for children and those in need of encouragement and support.
After raising her children, she decided to enter the work force. She became one of the first lay associates in the Episcopal Church, serving at St. Andrew's, Ayer Mass. With the church's rector she became part of the initial group that brought Cursillo, a short course in Christianity, to the Episcopal Church. She was a lifelong participant in Cursillo and served in a number of
leadership and teaching roles.
She next worked for Nashoba Community Hospital in Ayer, where she created their first department of public relations and served at its director.
In 1982, Carol and her husband opened Frederic Gallery, a fine art and picture framing shop, on Littleton Common in Littleton Mass. They worked there with their son Perry for 24 years, retiring in 2006. Carol particularly loved the conversations with those who dropped by to visit.
She joined the Littleton Rotary Club in 1987. Rotary became an important focus in her life and she never tired of promoting and supporting it. She served as the first woman president of her local club and in 1998 was elected the first woman Rotary District Governor of Central Massachusetts and one of the first in the U.S and the world. She was proud of the 55,000 daffodils the 54 Rotary Clubs planted during her year as District Governor. After moving to Fitchburg, she continued to be involved in Rotary through the Fitchburg East Rotary Club, serving as registrar for a Rotary youth leadership awards program.
Carol was also known for her love of children. In 1958, to entertain her own children, she created a clown outfit and persona she called "Lollipop the Clown." Over the years, Lollipop visited many groups and events, including Rotary outings and grandchildren's schools, bringing a lollipop for each child and much laughter and smiles to those who saw Lollipop's curly red hair, size 18 shoes, and exaggerated happy face.
In addition to personal interactions, Carol enjoyed writing. Throughout her life she wrote articles and news-letters, as well as letters to family and friends, an annual Christmas letter, and even a story for her grandchildren.
Carol was a Christian with a deep faith. With her husband, she was a member of Ashby Congregational Church in Ashby, Mass.
To remember and celebrate Carol's life, there will be a memorial service, followed by a reception, at Ashby Congregational Church, 21 New Ipswich Road, Ashby, on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 11 a.m.
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