Mildred Getrude Carstensen

Mildred Gertrude “Millie” Carstensen, 80, of Old Saybrook, Connecticut, passed away on January 26, 2026. Born on May 26, 1945, in Chicago, Illinois, to Josie Eleanor (Tolbert) Eubanks and Thaddeus Briggs Eubanks, Millie lived a life marked by intellectual rigor, generosity of spirit, and an unwavering commitment to education, service, and civic responsibility.

Millie received an exceptional education that reflected both her academic gifts and her lifelong love of learning. She attended Howalton Day School, the first African American private day school in Chicago, founded by three Black women educators who created a rigorous and affirming educational environment in response to the inequities of the era. She later attended the University of Chicago Laboratory School. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree at Cornell College, majoring in French and Psychology; a Master of Arts in Teaching (French) from Yale University; and a Doctor of Education in Administration, Planning, and Social Policy from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She also served enthusiastically on the editorial board of the Harvard Educational Review for two years.

Millie began her professional career as a high school French teacher at Richard C. Lee High School in New Haven, Connecticut. She went on to serve as Assistant Director of Admissions at the University of Chicago and as a Program Officer at the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities and Public Policy. Her career continued at the University of Connecticut, where she held several leadership roles, including Registrar at the West Hartford Campus, Director of Foundation Relations, founding Director of the Diversity Engineering Program in the School of Engineering, for which she secured the initial corporate funding, and Special Assistant to the Vice Chancellor for Business and Operation Services. After completing her Ed.D., she taught courses as an Adjunct Professor in the Schools of Education at the University of Hartford and the University of Massachusetts.

Fluent in French, Millie stayed connected to the language through her weekly reading of Paris Match. She was a fierce Chicago Bears fan and took particular joy in celebrating their recent playoff victory over the Green Bay Packers. As her pace of life slowed, Millie found deep contentment in her beloved home, often seated in her living room, reading, watching Bollywood films, or tracking current news on her iPad. She enjoyed the peaceful view of The Preserve that bordered her backyard and watching ospreys along the Connecticut shoreline, either online or in person. She could also be found on her bench in her sideyard, facing a Japanese cherry tree, surrounded by a Buddha statue, a Frank Lloyd Wright Nakoma, and the plants, flowers, and trees she nurtured alongside her husband, Fred Carstensen. She had a brief but much-loved stint singing with Shoreline Soul and treasured the joy and connection it brought.

Millie’s commitment to service extended beyond her professional life. She was, for nearly 20 years, a Trustee and then Life Trustee at Cornell College and served on the Connecticut Advisory Board for the Trust for Public Land. She believed deeply in civic engagement and the importance of voting, a responsibility she embraced throughout her life, and one she insisted upon for others, proudly succeeding in convincing her son-in-law to register and vote in the most recent presidential and mayoral elections. With great devotion, Millie also provided care for her beloved mother, Josie Eleanor Eubanks, during her later years. In her own twilight years, Millie found comfort and spiritual sustenance through the online services of Harvard Memorial Church.

She is survived by her devoted husband, Fred Carstensen; their daughter, Erin Carstensen, and her husband, Alan Souza Bittencourt; and her adored grandchildren, Naue and Ayo Carsten Bittencourt.

A private graveside service will be held for family members. A memorial service, “Honoring Millie: An Abundant Life,” will be held in the spring, with a date to be announced.

Donations in Millie’s memory may be directed to Cornell College to support the Mildred Carstensen Scholarship the family has established: http://crnl.co/give

Millie’s moral clarity, determination, elegance, and classic sense of style will be deeply missed. Her endless care for her family’s safety, careful stewardship of family memory, and principled generosity of time and commitment will be forever cherished by all who knew her.