Carol Maxwell Kolsti

Carol was born Carol Irene Maxwell on March 13,1940, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, to Dr. Kenneth and Miriam Maxwell. She graduated from Princeton (N.J.) High School in 1958. A 1962 graduate of Denison University in Granville, Ohio, Carol also earned a degree from Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School in Rochester, N.Y. She met her husband, John Kolsti, while working at Roslindale Baptist Church in Boston. They married on Dec. 18, 1965, and moved to Austin the following year, after John accepted a teaching position in the University of Texas at Austin’s Department of Slavic and Eurasian Studies.

Carol served in interim pastor positions for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) for 10 years. She was active in Church Women United and its Austin branch, serving as national secretary for four years, as the first regional coordinator for the South Central Region, and twice as Texas state president. She traveled to Beijing, China, for the U.N. Women’s Conference with a CWU delegation; to Peru with Church World Service; and to Okinawa, Japan, with an ecumenical tour.

Carol was also active with the Austin Area Conference of Churches, Austin Area Interreligious Ministries, Austin Urban Council of Metro Ministries, Capital Area Food Bank, Meals on Wheels, and United Action for the Elderly. She was a member of the Austin chapter of the PEO sisterhood and was Assistant Director for Texas Church World Service’s CROP program for four years, organizing walk-a-thons throughout Texas to raise funds to fight hunger.

Carol was preceded in death by her husband of 55 years, John Kolsti; her parents; and her beloved stepmother, Jean Carlson Maxwell. She is survived by her two sons, Kenneth and his wife, Nancy, of Trophy Club, Texas; and Kyle and his wife, Colleen, of Beavercreek, Ohio; grandchildren, Matthew and Kathleen Kolsti of Beavercreek; brother, Kenneth Maxwell of Gilbert, Arizona; sister, Elizabeth Maxwell of Wiscasset, Maine; nephew, Peter Kolsti of Austin; and many other family members and friends.

Services will be held at 2 pm Saturday, Sept. 17, at United Christian Church, 3500 West Parmer Lane in Austin. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to P.E.O. International, 3700 Grand Ave., Des Moines, Iowa, 50312.