Carolyn M. Stalker

Carolyn transitioned from life on earth on November 8 at Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton, NY.  She was born on July 10, 1943 to the late Vernon M. and Mabel J. Stalker of Vestal, NY, formerly of Wayne County, PA.

Carolyn experienced numerous significant medical issues during her life but never let them define her or interfere with doing her best. Carolyn, the quintessential social worker, took care of herself so that she could devote her life to others: her family, clients and friends in need.

Long prior to Carolyn earning a social work degree, she was known to remove items from her family home, saying that others could really use that dining room chair, or briefcase or whatever it was.   Carolyn graduated from Vestal High School, then earned a Bachelor’s Degree from the State University of New York at Oswego and a Master of Social Work from Marywood University in PA.  She held several other certificates as well. 

One of Carolyn’s varied vocational roles as a Psychiatric Social Worker was to assess, treat, and plan for discharge for individuals from a State Residential Hospital. She was also a Program Manager for group homes for clients with mental and developmental concerns.  Carolyn was a Residential Social Worker in an Intermediate Care facility for adults with cerebral palsy.  More recently Carolyn’s mother needed care and Carolyn moved back to her family home to provide that care and also became a Social Worker for children and their families in a Head Start program.

Carolyn loved travelling, especially with family.  She was an artist in numerous mediums including designing clothes for her niece and doing Swedish embroidery.  Her passion for love, learning experiences, life and art were seen in her support financially and with gifts of time and effort to educational, mental, artistic, environmental and social justice issues.  Carolyn spent many evenings and weekends “on call” to help children in a crisis, to counsel newly diagnosed individuals (Multiple Sclerosis Society), and those transitioning (Hospice).

Carolyn is loved and admired by her sisters, Marion Barnes (Bob) of Athens, OH and Joan Krosner (Bob) of Horse Shoe, NC.  Every week of their lives, Carolyn was in at least weekly contact with each of her nieces and nephews all of whom now live in  Athens, OH: Dr. Phil Taylor, III and Dr. Amy Taylor-Bianco (Dr. Joe)  as well as her great-nephews and her great-niece: Phillip Taylor IV, Emma Bianco, Richard Taylor and the late Andrew Bianco.

When the young nephews and niece were separately asked for a word to describe Carolyn, their immediate responses were: “remarkable”, “extraordinary”, “artistic”, “never afraid to go against the status quo or social norms”, “great to everyone”, “kind”, “compassionate”, “selfless”, “brave”, and “a wonderful Aunt to each of us”.

Carolyn is a member of the Vestal United Methodist Church.  At Carolyn’s request she has been cremated and will be laid to rest next to her parents in the Vestal Park Cemetery.  Due to COVID-19, there will be a private memorial service and no public service.  Carolyn requested that each person do an act of kindness.

In lieu of flowers, please consider sending a donation in memory of Carolyn to Andrew’s Benefit Fund.  One can sign the register book, share a memory, and send a note of condolence to the family at www.hughesmoquinfuneralhome.com.  Cards and donations can be mailed to Andrew’s Avengers c/o Hughes- Moquin Funeral Home, 168 Morris Avenue, Athens, OH 45701.