She is survived by her husband of 62 years, Tedd, their two daughters Janel Feldman and husband Robert and their three children, Ruth, Aaron, Sarah; of Drexel Hill, PA and daughter Jennifer Gaston of Colchester, and her two daughters Stephanie and Christine; a brother Walter Koopman and wife Judy of Rochester, NY and sister Lynn and husband Frank of Milford.
Carol was born in Norwalk, April 23, 1939, the daughter of Walter Koopman, Jr. and Elsie Grahn Koopman. Her father and grandfather were farmers in the Greens Farms section of Westport which perhaps contributed to Carol’s love of gardening. She attended Westport public schools and graduated from Staples High School and the Norwalk Hospital School of Nursing, 1960.
Her career as an RN spanned 40 years and included work at Norwalk Hospital, Internal Medicine Associates of Westport, Boulder Memorial Hospital in Colorado. During her time at Norwalk Hospital, she was instrumental, along with the CT Nursing Association, in obtaining one of the first nursing contracts in CT.
She believed that your religion was what you lived, not what you profess. Caring and community minded, she initiated a Parish Nurse Program in Norwalk churches, volunteered in Girl Scouts, Hospice and the Americares clinic.
After retiring with husband Tedd to Old Saybrook, she substituted in the nursing offices of area schools and was active in the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme, serving on the Board of Deacons, Board of Trustees and volunteering in various church and community programs. In addition, she served as Moderator for the Middlesex Association of the Connecticut Conference of the United Church of Christ.
A memorial service and celebration of life will be held at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme, 2 Ferry Road, Old Lyme on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023 at 2:00 p.m.
Contributions may be made to the Preservation Endowment Fund of The First Congregational Church of Old Lyme, 2 Ferry Road, Old Lyme, CT 06371
or the Old Saybrook Historical Society, 350 Main St., Old Saybrook, CT 06475.
