Carolyn "Carrie" Martin Stewardson

Carolyn Vera Martin, known affectionately to all who loved her as “Carrie,” passed away peacefully this past Saturday morning at the Brookside Inn in Castle Rock, Colorado. She was 87 years old. After a valiant battle with Semantic Dementia that began in 2019, she succumbed to heart failure, leaving behind a legacy of resilience, creativity, and laughter.

Born on April 28, 1938, in Raritan, New Jersey, Carolyn was the daughter of John and Anna Grega Martin. As first-generation Americans with roots in Austria-Hungary (modern-day Slovakia), the Martins raised a close-knit, spirited family. Carolyn was the only girl in a rowdy household of five children. Her brothers—Walter, Richard, Milton, and Albert—were fiercely protective of their sister. The family bond remained unbreakable through the challenging pre- and post-World War II era, a time marked by the service of her brother Walter in the Navy during WWII and Richard in the Marines during the Korean War.

Carolyn graduated from Somerville High School in 1956 and immediately set her sights on the wider world. She attended night school at a local community college to master secretarial skills, but her adventurous spirit drew her to New York City. There, she lived for a time and worked as a part-time model, embracing the excitement of the city.

Carrie possessed an engaging, magnetic personality; she loved to laugh, and it was often said that “everyone loved Carrie.” This charm was evident early on, as her brothers’ girlfriends and eventual wives immediately found a friend in her. An avid skier, Carolyn joined a weekend Ski Club with her childhood friend, Faye Niles. It was through this circle that she met Jack and Betty Buss, who introduced her to a handsome bachelor named John Edward Stewardson. A romantic courtship ensued, leading to their marriage on September 30, 1961.

The couple began their life together in Peapack, New Jersey, before building their first dream home in Martinsville in 1963. It was a happy season of life, marked by the birth of their daughter, Sally, in September 1963, and their son, John Jr., in January 1965. Carolyn thrived in her role as a mother and neighbor, striking up deep friendships with neighbors Jean Miller and Patty Casterline.

In the late summer of 1970, a career change for John Sr. brought the family out West to Littleton, Colorado. It was here that Carolyn’s lifelong artistic talent truly flourished. Possessing a wonderful eye for decorating and a gift for painting, she followed her dream to open “Expression Unlimited,” a gift shop in the Cinderella City Mall in Englewood. Her flair for design—particularly during Christmas—and her interest in antiques made the shop a special place.

Though the family built another dream home in the Columbine area in 1974, the economic hardships of the oil crisis forced the closure of the shop. Undaunted, Carolyn pivoted back to her secretarial roots, securing a position with Johns Manville. When family health crises struck—her brother Milton’s cancer diagnosis and her husband’s battle with Meniere’s Disease—Carolyn remained a pillar of strength. In 1977, the family relocated back to the East Coast, settling in Reading, Pennsylvania. There, Carolyn and John took on a “fixer-upper,” utilizing their shared talents in renovation and interior design to restore the property. Professionally, Carolyn soared, becoming an Executive Assistant within the Roger Penske Group.

Following the dissolution of her marriage in 1983, Carolyn returned to Colorado, settling in Aurora to begin a new chapter of independence. She built an impressive career in the booming cable industry, serving as an Executive Secretary at United Cable and later as Communications Director for the Cable Investment Group in the Denver Tech Center. During these years, she saw her children graduate high school, cultivated new relationships, and continued to indulge her passions for painting, antique hunting, and interior decorating.

The 1990s brought profound changes. Her son John moved to Munich, Germany, and the tragic loss of her beloved younger brother, Albert, to cancer in 1990 forced Carolyn to confront her own mortality. She turned inward, developing a deep interest in psychology and writing. She spent years penning a novel, Helix – Trepidatious as I am, pouring her soul into the search for the perfect verse.

After facing financial hardships in the early 2000s, Carolyn demonstrated her characteristic resilience. With the support of her daughter Sally, nephew Tim, and friend Bill Bingham, she regained her footing. In 2003, she joined the Denver City Parks and Recreation office in Financial Operations. She took great pride in her work there, which included contributing to the opening of Denver International Airport. Her colleagues were immediately impressed by her cheery attitude and work ethic.

In her retirement years, Carolyn found renewed comfort in her painting and a deepening dedication to her faith. She became a devoted member of the Church of the Living Savior Lutheran Church, studying the Bible with the same intensity she had once applied to psychology. She spent the 2010s remodeling a townhome near Littleton and enjoying her role as a grandmother.

Even as her health began to decline, Carolyn faced the future with pragmatism and grace. Following a benign pancreatic tumor scare, she proactively prepared for her final years. When diagnosed with Semantic Dementia in 2019, she was cared for briefly by her ex-husband and lifelong friend, John Sr., before moving to Willowbrook Place and finally to Brookside Inn.

Carolyn is survived by her daughter, Sally of Denver; her son, John (Ruth) of Munich, Germany; and her beloved grandchildren, John F. and Rachael. She is remembered not just for her many accomplishments, but for her laughter, her artistic eye, and her enduring ability to rebuild and reinvent herself, no matter what life threw her way.

Carolyn M. Stewardson will join John E. Stewardson in her final resting place at Mount Lindo Mausoleum – near the renown Giant Lighted Cross on the side of the mountain west of the city that is visible from throughout Denver. Services will be held on Saturday December 13, 2025 at 1PM at the Mount Lindo (at the very top) off of Turkey Creek Road, reached via US 285 heading west.

A visitation will be held at Olinger Hampden Mortuary & Cemetery, located at 8600 East Hampden Ave, Denver, CO 80231, on December 11, 2025, from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

A graveside service will take place at Olinger Mount Lindo Cemetery, 5928 South Turkey Creek Road, Morrison, CO 80465, on December 13, 2025, from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm.