Obituary of Carolyn K. Martenson

Carolyn K. Martenson, known as Carol, went to the Lord on Friday, February 13th, at Stamford Hospital surrounded by family and friends. Born on June 1, 1926, to Katherine Austin and Mark A. Krieger, she grew up in Baltimore, MD. Carol graduated from Notre Dame of Maryland Preparatory School in Baltimore in 1944. She continued her education at the Ogontz School in Pennsylvania and Johns Hopkins University. In 1950, in Baltimore, Maryland, Carol married Paul V. Martenson of San Francisco, CA. Paul had recently graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and was then stationed in San Francisco, CA. Carol taught pre-school in San Francisco for two years before she and Paul returned to Baltimore. Carol and Paul moved to Bethesda, MD, in 1958, where they lived until 2004. They then moved to Darien to be closer to their daughter and her family. Carol and Paul made many new and good friends living in Darien Carol was one of a kind. She had an incredible spirit, love of life, and contagious smile. She was beautiful both inside and out. She cherished her family, her faith, and her friends. Carol was a life-long devout Lutheran. Her faith -- and her family and friends -- enabled her to overcome many obstacles in her life, particularly pertaining to her health. Carol devoted herself to a host of philanthropic causes throughout her life. She was a member of the All Hallows Guild of the Washington National Cathedral for over 30 years. She chaired the Guild's largest fundraiser, the Flower Mart, several times, each time with increasing success. Carol was also a long-time supporter of Goodwill Industries and chaired their annual book sale several times. Carol also chaired the Embassy Tours, another Goodwill Industries fundraiser. She particularly enjoyed meeting the ambassadors from Great Britain, Norway, and Kuwait. A life-long lover of flowers, Carol was also active in the Sumner Garden Club. She served as President of the club and regularly participated in flower-arranging competitions and designing gardens for public spaces. When Carol and Paul moved to Atria of Darien in 2004, Carol true to character made many new friends and immersed herself in many activities. She served as President of the Resident Council, ambassador for new residents for 10 years, arranged flowers for the dining room tables, and served on the Garden Committee. Carol was also recognized as Volunteer of the Year at Atria. Carol was an athlete and a sports enthusiast. She played field hockey and basketball at Notre Dame and became an accomplished golfer as a young adult. Carol was a die-hard Redskins fan and attended Redskins games for over 40 years. She was also a loyal Yankees fan. Her three grandsons are ardent Red Sox fans so, in all good fun, there was a family rivalry when the two teams played! Carol was also a devoted Duke basketball fan. She knew the names of all of the players and could recite their statistics. Carol had the uncanny ability to make everyone comfortable in her presence. She exuded warmth and kindness and had a smile and personal greeting ready for all who came her way. And nothing truly nothing flustered Carol. Steadied by her faith and the Daily Word, Carol responded to the troubles that life presented with the love and peacefulness that calm and cheer. She will be dearly missed by all who knew her. Carol is survived by two devoted daughters, Mary Rooney and her husband, Bill, of Darien, and Kate Appleton and her husband, Jonathan, of Cambridge, England. She is also survived by five loving grandchildren, Wills, Austin, and Jeb of Darien, Caroline Logan of London, and Isabelle Appleton of Cambridge. She was predeceased by her husband of 62 years, Paul V. Martenson, and her brother, Mark A. Krieger, Jr. Funeral services will be held on Friday, February 20th, at 11 AM at St. Michael's Lutheran Church in New Canaan. In lieu of flowers, please consider a Memorial donation to All Hallows Guild, c/o Washington National Cathedral, 301 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 or the American Diabetes Association, 363 RXR Plaza, Uniondale, NY 11556. www.lawrencefuneralhome.com Funeral Home: Edward Lawrence Funeral Home 2119 Post Road Darien, CT USA 06820