Carolyn Goodrich Ducote

Carolyn Goodrich Ducoté, a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and faithful friend, passed away peacefully on May 1, 2024, in Jacksonville, Florida. Born on June 10, 1920, in Trenton, New Jersey, Carolyn was the daughter of William Gardner Goodrich and Anna Kennedy Goodrich and sister to Sister Anna Marie, D.C., Mildred Thiel, May Maxwell, and William Goodrich. A deep commitment to faith, service, family, and friends marked her life. Carolyn graduated from Trenton College with a teaching degree before serving abroad after World War II with the US Army Special Services Agency in Wiesbaden, Germany. There, she met her beloved husband, Richard Joseph Ducoté, Jr., a decorated officer of the Army Combat Corps of Engineers whose service included the Korean War, WWII, and Vietnam War. Upon Richard's retirement as a Colonel, the two settled on the shores of southern Maryland until his passing. They were married for thirty-seven years. In addition to being a devoted mother and supportive housewife, Carolyn enjoyed careers as both a teacher and copywriter and a lifetime of volunteering that included roles at the White House, St. Mary's College, Our Lady's Church, American Red Cross, Cummer Museum, and St. Vincent's Hospital. After her husband's passing in 1985, Carolyn spent the remainder of her life in Jacksonville, Florida, to be closer to her children and grandchildren. She had an infectious laugh, a sharp mind, and a committed spirit. All who knew her felt her selflessness, enthusiasm for life and travel, and mostly her love for friends and family. Carolyn was preceded in death by her husband, Col. (Ret) Richard Joseph Ducoté, Jr., and daughter, Jaye Anne Ducoté Hobbs. She is survived by her son, Richard Joseph Ducoté III (wife Teresa), and her daughter, Kathy Ducoté Long (husband William), thirteen grandchildren, and twenty-eight great-grandchildren. A ceremony will be held in her honor at 11:00 a.m. on May 17, 2024, at St. Matthew's Catholic Church in Jacksonville, FL.