1937 - 2025
Carolyn was born in Boston on October 22, 1937, the daughter of the late Ervine and Esther (Bassick) Whittaker. She was raised in Natick and graduated from Our Lady Help of Christians High School in Newton in 1955. She went on to attend Boston College, earning a degree in Elementary Education and Teaching in 1959, and later received a graduate degree in Education and Creative Arts in Learning from Lesley University. While at Boston College, Carolyn was an active member of the Drama Society—an experience that sparked a lifelong devotion to the performing arts.
Following college, Carolyn began her teaching career in Natick before her husband Thomas’s military service took their young family across the country and overseas, living in California, Germany, Kansas, and Oklahoma before settling in Bellingham, Massachusetts. There, she raised her two children and spent the majority of her teaching career educating fourth- and sixth-grade students at the Clara Macy School, where she left a lasting impact on generations of students.
Above all else, Carolyn viewed herself as a steward of humanity and the planet. She lived her life with deep compassion, always placing the needs of others before her own. She instilled in her students and loved ones the importance of giving back, working together, and standing up for what is right.
A devoted parishioner of St. Blaise Catholic Church in Bellingham, Carolyn volunteered with the church’s food pantry and served on the parish council. She was the creative force behind many beloved parish traditions, including the use of a live donkey in the Christmas pageant and the powerful multimedia Stations of the Cross on Good Friday.
Carolyn was a founding member of the Bellingham Children’s Theater, established alongside her dear friends Maryanne Donahue and Geri Hayes. For more than 40 years, she directed productions that introduced thousands of children to the magic of live theater. She also served as director of the Bellingham High School Drama Club for ten years.
A passionate advocate for peace and equality, Carolyn regularly attended protests on the Boston Common and sponsored numerous children in Honduras through the Unbound program. She remained steadfast in her belief that the journey—not the destination—was what mattered most. In a lifetime of travel that brought her to 49 states and countless countries, Carolyn chose trains and boats over planes whenever possible, flying only once in her entire life so she could truly experience the people and places she encountered. Her stories of travel adventures and chance meetings were legendary among family and friends.
An avid reader, Carolyn believed deeply in lifelong learning, often reading one to two books per week in her later years.
In August 2025, Carolyn proudly became a great-grandmother with the birth of Caden Rigdon.
She is survived by her daughter Anne Carey of Hopkinton; her son Michael Carey and his wife Annie Hurwitz of Natick; her granddaughter Emily Rigdon and her husband William of Franklin; her grandson Nicholas Carey of Decatur, Georgia; and her brother John “Jack” Whittaker and sister-in-law Joan of Scituate, along with many beloved extended family members. She was predeceased by her husband Thomas Carey and her brother Francis “Frank” Whittaker.
Calling hours will be held on Sunday, December 28, from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at St. Blaise Catholic Church in Bellingham. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday, December 29, at 9:00 AM, also at St. Blaise Church. Burial will take place at Union Cemetery in Bellingham in the spring of 2026.
In keeping with Carolyn’s wishes to celebrate life, attendees are encouraged to wear bright colors. Other ways to honor her memory include standing up for what you believe in, keeping your home at a crisp 60 degrees, and enjoying dessert with every meal—especially breakfast.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Carolyn’s memory to Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry, c/o St. Blaise Church, 1158 South Main Street, Bellingham, MA 02019.
Arrangements are under the care of Ginley Crowley Funeral Home, Medway.
