Carolyn D. Pfohl

Jacksonville - Pfohl, Carolyn Day of Jacksonville, FL died peacefully at the age of 95 on November 29th. She was surrounded by beloved family and friends. She was born on September 28, 1919 to Samuel M Day Sr and Louise Smith Day of Nixburg, AL. They moved to Alexander City when she was 2 years old, and she later graduated from Alexander City High School. Carolyn received her Bachelors of Music degree from Alabama College (now the University of Montevallo) and began her teaching career in Alexander City. She then earned a Masters degree in Music Education from Columbia University in New York City.

She served as Supervisor of Music Education in the public schools of St Augustine, FL, Baldwin County, AL, and Duval County, FL. She loved her work and never thought “the grass is greener on the other side”. The only invitation she accepted was to fill the position of Professor of Music Education at Northwestern University one summer while the professor was on sabbatical and wanted her emphasis on music education in large city schools.

During her work with the schools she was an active member of Delta Kappa Gamma and a lifetime member of Delta Omicron, an international music fraternity. She was a member of Riverside Presbyterian Church, where she served as an Elder, an affiliate member of the Moravian Church, of which her husband was a member (he was an affiliate member of the Presbyterian Church), and a member of the Jacksonville Daughters of the American Revolution.

During her years as supervisor of Duval County music education (1953-1968), music became an integral part of school curriculum. In 1961, she was instrumental in passage of a bond issue (the largest ever passed in Duval County, and with 70% voter turnout) that financed construction of thirty-three music buildings at all Duval County high and junior high schools. In 1968, they married and moved to Reston, VA, where he was conductor of the Reston Orchestra/Chorale and began the Reston Summer Music Camp (he also started Brevard N.C. Summer Music Camp). In 1978, they moved to York, PA, where he was conductor of the York Symphony Orchestra. During all this time, Carolyn remained actively involved in music education. In 1983, they returned to Jacksonville and Carolyn continued her involvement in music education at the Friday Musicale where the Carolyn Day Pfohl Award is presented regularly to an outstanding musical educator in the Duval County Schools. Since 1990, she has served as the managing trustee of the Mary L’Engle Orchestral Fund that loans more than four hundred string instruments to local school children and awards grants to exceptional students of string instruments. For the last several years, she has been recognized as the longest-surviving member of the Retired Duval County Public School Administrators Association.

Carolyn was a strong believer that education, particularly music education, should be inspirational, never dictatorial, and emphasized the interdependence and interrelationship between community and school music. Her work always reflected those beliefs. Carolyn was known for a favorite quote from an anonymous speaker, “It was said of a great teacher that he helped his students catch a glimpse of a wonderful vision which he beheld”

Carolyn is preceded in death by her husband of almost 30 years, Dr James Christian Pfohl, who died in 1997, brother Dr Samuel M. Day, Jr and his wife Dolly Day. She is survived by her niece Margaret Day Julian and three nephews and their wives, Samuel Mason Day III (Joy), Arthur Lennard Day (Kande) and Dekle Day (Elisabeth), and their children. She also had three very dear “bonus” children gained through her marriage to Dr Pfohl: Alice Keith Knowles, James Christian Pfohl, Jr. (Jimmie), and Dr David Nelson Pfohl.

Deep gratitude to Carolyn’s wonderful caregivers over the past few years: Sandra, Desreen, Kim, Symantha, Renay, Reahilda, Pam and Janice. In lieu of flowers, please contribute to the Mary L’Engle Orchestral Fund, Friday Musicale or a similar charity of your choice.

Arrangements are under the care of Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home, 729 Edgewood Ave S, Jacksonville, FL. (904) 388-2711. Following a service at Riverside Presbyterian Church at 11:00 a.m., Thurs. Dec. 4th, internment will be at the family plot in the City Cemetery of Alexander City, AL.