Carol Stuart (1948-2024)

WILTON – Carol Vivian Stuart passed away on Saturday, February 3, 2024, in California where she had been a resident for 22 years. She was born in Farmington, Maine on November 2, 1948, to Merton (Pete) and Phyllis (Macomber) Stuart. Carol grew up in East Wilton, ME, the oldest of 4 girls and a baby brother.

Carol attended the East Wilton Grammar School and graduated from Wilton Academy in 1967. She was in the College Prep course all four years with the full intention of going on to study Elementary Ed in college. In her Senior year, Carol worked in the Academy library, the beginning of more years spent in public libraries in Andover and California. In the fall of 1967, she entered the Farmington State Teachers College (UMF), Farmington, ME and graduated in 1971.

Carol’s first teaching job was in the Andover Elementary School. After her first years of teaching she found her sweet spot as a teacher of 3rd graders. The teaching team in this small rural Maine school formed strong friendships with one another and in the community with those whose children they taught. After 27 years of teaching in the Andover Elementary School, Carol and her colleagues were reassigned to various schools within the newly formed SAD #44. The last 3 years of her 30-year teaching career were at Crescent Park School in Bethel, ME. By Carol’s last year of teaching, a few grandchildren of her very first students began showing up in her classroom. At that point thoughts of retirement began to creep into her thinking.

Carol loved teaching! She loved helping her students learn and was committed to helping each one who came through her classroom to succeed in learning the essentials as well as some of the extra life skills that a third grader needs help with. Even the challenging ones through the years knew they were loved by Miss Stuart.

One colleague commented that she was such an excellent, dedicated teacher. He was impressed with the way she brought famous Americans and American history to life for her students. The same colleague expressed such appreciation that his own sons had Miss Stuart as their 3rd grade teacher.

A former student remembers Miss Stuart’s infectious smile that lit up the classroom room each day. She had a great wit that came out particularly when she told stories of escapades she encountered in her classroom. She had to keep a straight face in the moment of discipline, but in later visits, her family enjoyed laughing with her as she told so many stories of her precious 3rd graders.

Carol’s creativity was on display in her classroom making it a welcoming place to be in every day. Her homes were spaces to express her creativity as well. She was a thoughtful gift giver. The gifts were often something craftily hand made by her. She enjoyed baking and cooking and often visited neighbors taking a meal or a basket of her baked goods from her kitchen. She was generous with her time and hospitality.

Carol was a voracious reader! She surrounded herself with books of a wide variety of genres. She was interested in life and though not widely traveled herself, she had a wealth of knowledge from all her reading and was quick to share it with others. She was always ‘teaching’ even outside the classroom making learning a fun experience.

Family members recall the times they spent with Aunt/Cousin Carol playing card and board games, watching the annual Andover Days Parade, swimming at the Flat Rocks, visiting the public library, enjoying “Girls nights”, being inspired to read anything that expanded their minds, imaginations and hearts. Students and children within her family of nieces and nephews and young cousins, now adults, have passed the love of reading on to the next generation in their families.

Carol enjoyed the fellowship and friendships in the Calvary Bible Church of Andover where she was a committed member. She sang in the choir, taught Sunday School and many summers, she directed Vacation Bible Schools. She was blessed with deep friendships and was a good friend to so many in the community. Many people today still fondly remember Miss Stuart!

In 200l, Carol left her home in Andover to make a new home in California with her sister and her husband, Terry and Dale Sprague. They lived for many years in Fairfield, CA and in the last few years in Vacaville. In the early years Carol worked in her sister’s craft shop, “Mainely Stampin’,” conducting classes to create beautiful greeting cards. Carol also worked for a time in the Solano County Library, and taught English as a second language.

Two statements were found in Carol’s ’67 high school yearbook. She stated in one that her most treasured possessions were her friends. The other was a saying she quoted, “A good heart is better than all the heads in the world.”

Carol left the mark of her good heart on so many friends and family in East Wilton, Andover and California. We are all so much better for having had her friendship in our lives.

Preceding her departure were her baby brother Peter and her parents, Pete and Phyllis Stuart.

Carol is survived by sisters Lelo (Darrell) Hardy, Terry (Dale) Sprague and Dale (Steve) Thibodeau; nieces and nephews Seth, Stephanie, Marcus, Heidi, Michelle and Lisa and their children.

A private burial will be scheduled in the future.