Goldman, Caryl Louise (Smith)
On Sunday, August 22, 2021, Caryl Louise Goldman (formerly Lincoln, maiden name Smith) of Wethersfield, passed away peacefully in her sleep at the age of 75.
She is survived by her devoted husband, Gene Goldman, of Wethersfield; daughters Susan (and son-in-law Michael) Henderson; twins, Christine Angel and Roberta Lincoln, all of Salem, OR; Melissa (and son-in-law Frank) Shaffer, currently living in Beijing, China; and son Adam Goldman, of Leicestershire, England; her grandsons Gabriel “Teddy” and Samuel Lincoln; her sister Priscilla (and brother-in-law C.p.“trum”) Troemel of Cheshire; her brother Andrew (and sister-in-law Nancy) Smith of Torrington; her sister-in-law Susan (and brother-in-law Mark) Sendrow of Phoenix, AZ; her nieces Deborah Mcgee and Mara Noack and nephews Scott Troemel, Scott Sendrow, and Michael Sendrow; and several grandnieces and grandnephews.
Caryl was preceded in death by her parents Lawrence W. and Bernice K. Smith, her eldest sister Sandra Smith, and her son-in-law Todd Angel.
Born in 1945 in Torrington, she also lived in Litchfield, Hartford, West Hartford, and Newington; Walnut Creek, CA;
and, for the past 29 years, in Wethersfield. She graduated from St. John Baptist School in Mendham, NJ in 1963, and attended Moravian University in Bethlehem, PA.
Caryl and Gene were married in September 1987 in Newington. Caryl regarded Gene, affectionately referred to as “Goldie,” as the love of her life. Throughout their nearly 34 years of marriage, she still looked at Gene every day with love and adoration, and her eyes would light up when he walked in the room. Gene felt the same way about Caryl. Borrowing from one of Caryl and Gene’s favorite songs, their “...love was here to stay.”
Caryl worked for Aetna Life Insurance Company in Hartford from the time her children were very young. She dedicated her career to them, working in Aetna’s offices in Connecticut and in California. For over 20 years, she balanced client service, business travel and, of course, her family and home, retiring as a Regional Pension Service Manager in 1995.
When her children were young, she passionately supported their endeavors, attending their plays, sporting events, recitals and school activities. She and Gene gave them the “wings” they needed to fly from the nest and travel the
world. Although she was a die-hard Connecticut Yankee, she encouraged all of her children to live their lives to the fullest, supported them throughout her life, and was very proud of all their adventures.
Spending her youth “in the hills,” Caryl loved to share stories about her farm girl experiences. A favorite involved her climbing onto the back of a cow and, as it stood up (rump first), shooting down the cow like a slide! Driving past a cow pasture, when her kids would yell “it stinks,” she would laugh and say, “It smells like home!” She loved to recall learning the hard way how electric cow fencing worked. She also used to say, “A hardware store is my favorite place!,” enjoying it about as much as children love a candy shop. Caryl couldn’t resist entertaining young kids by
talking like Donald Duck, and was playful and silly with them wherever she went.
Caryl was an avid Uconn Women’s Basketball fan as well as a Huskies football season ticket holder, attending many games in blistering heat or wet, freezing weather. Like her father, she had a green thumb and loved “digging in the dirt.” A member of the Connecticut Horticulture Society, she looked forward to their flower and garden-themed bus trips and special shows. Caryl enjoyed going to auctions, as well. She loved “whimsy” in many forms, and was known for the surprising (and heavy) finds she would bring home from her annual trip to the Brimfield Antique Flea Market. She also contributed to a number of non-profit organizations for people with diverse abilities.
Drawn to the water and self-proclaimed as “solar-powered” meant that a good day for Caryl was being at the shore and eating a “pound-and-a-halfer” at Abbott’s Lobster in the Rough. She appreciated all kinds of music and loved to travel, go shoe shopping, and spend time with Gene doing just about anything. Her most favorite thing was their annual Valentine’s Day trip to St. Pete Beach, FL.
Caryl used every minute spent with her kids and grandkids as a teaching moment. She loved to find both humor and the positive side to any challenge. Her children will lovingly remember her for her unending strength, even in the most difficult of times and situations. She always found a way to make lemonade out of lemons. While she was not fond of cooking (saying her favorite thing to make for dinner was “reservations”), she was a loving wife and mother. Friends of the family always felt welcome at Caryl’s table. All were treated with respect; she never talked down to younger people. She would be proud to know these friends now say they try to emulate this quality with their own
children. Her advice was timeless: “Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.”
The most common theme from everyone who knew her was, “She was an amazing, strong, independent woman, and I have many fond memories of her.” She was absolutely loved and will be missed by all.
Caryl’s family would like to thank the nurses, caregivers, and administrative staff at the Atrium at Rocky Hill for their comfort and compassion. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Caryl’s memory to the Alzheimer’s Association Connecticut Chapter, 200 Executive Blvd, Suite 4B, Southington,
CT 06489.