Carol Day Obituary

Carol was born in Santa Monica, California, to two wonderful parents, Bob and Charlotte Wilmer. The family was very close and enjoyed living in a lovely neighborhood near the beach. Her younger siblings, Linda and Bobby, remember her energy and positive outlook, which led to numerous fun adventures.
Summers were often spent on Balboa Island, which helped instill what became a lifelong love of the sand and ocean.
One of her summer jobs, which she recalled with some embarrassment, was at the iconic "hot dog on a stick" at Muscle Beach, wearing a "silly uniform" that included a striped hat.
She attended a parochial elementary school, but her fondest memories were of all the fun she had in the public system during her middle and high school years. Her close friend Tisha recalls that Carol deftly blended an understanding of boundaries and consequences with wholesome teenage fun: skipping school and heading to the beach, "sewer sliding", parties, and other "shenanigans" that often resulted in having to chase the family dog when she would get home late and "Cubby" would escape.
Carol was adventurous. At the age of 17, she traveled to Great Britain with her long-time friend Nancy. Somehow, they were able to part ways with their chaperone and ended up hitchhiking across the country, making friends, while singing and skipping down country roads.
It was also recalled that while growing up, Carol welcomed new friends and was fiercely loyal to those friendships. She was compassionate with a huge heart, had an abundant capacity for inclusion, and a fabulous sense of humor. As her high school years drew near the end, she eagerly looked forward to the challenges and changes that college would certainly bring...
After an initial plan to stay in California and attend UC Santa Barbara was vetoed by her parents due to protests going on at the time, Carol instead settled on enrolling at the U of O in the fall of 1969.
The move to Oregon changed things dramatically for Carol, as she soon met the boy that became the love of her life: Jeff Day. They shared the same dorm cafeteria, which provided Jeff with the opportunity to sit next to her one day. Their first date was on February 21, 1970. Not too long after this, Carol's adventurous spirit continued when she said yes to the question: "Do you want to hitchhike to San Francisco?" This was the first of many travel adventures Carol and Jeff shared over the next 55 years, including a wonderful vacation recently to Hawaii to celebrate her 74th birthday.
Cross-country road trips, travels to Europe, Asia, Mexico, and other destinations were among the vacations that they enjoyed together. Carol's favorites were always the ones with the white sandy beaches and ocean waves.
Carol graduated with a degree in education from the U of O in 1973. She returned to Santa Monica briefly before returning to Eugene to reunite with Jeff, eventually marrying in 1976. Her teaching career began at Walterville Elementary near Springfield. In 1978, they decided to move to Portland, which offered more opportunities but primarily allowed them to be closer to many of the dear friends that they had met in college.
Carol soon took a teaching position at Cathedral School. She loved working with her students and was a fabulous teacher.
After living in a couple of different houses in NE Portland, they found a house that Carol truly loved on NE Hamblet Street. Carol was not going to let this house get away, firmly kicking Jeff under the table when he briefly attempted to negotiate on the price. They moved into it in the fall of 1980 and immediately began renovating it together, starting with removing the shag carpet the first day.
They welcomed Brian into the world in 1982, and Leslie followed in 1984. The children became the focal part of their lives at that point, and Carol elected to step back from teaching full-time and devoted her time to being with her own children. She never regretted that decision, cherishing all of the special time that they spent together. She was able to put her talent as an educator and mentor to use in other areas, volunteering at Alameda Elementary, Beaumont Middle School, and Grant High School over the years. She also worked for the David Douglas High School College and Career Center.
Carol had the good fortune to see two beautiful grandchildren born over the past year: first, Ramona Rosie Day, and then Julian Andre Day-Fox. She cherished the time that she was able to spend with them.
Carol was very talented at home remodeling and restoration, both with their personal residences as well as investment properties. Her eye for design was impeccable. She skillfully managed a diverse group of tradesmen and suppliers in these endeavors. This keen acumen was displayed in virtually all of her many business interactions, illustrated by a recent comment: "I always enjoyed talking with Carol. She was calm and steady and thoughtful in every conversation. She made me want to sit up straight and dig deep to make sure everything was handled properly."
Gardening was a joy for Carol, and cooking was a passion. She was continuously experimenting with new recipes, creating fabulous dishes that her family and friends would marvel at. Her dear friend Margaret reflected that when she comes up with a new dish, she often wonders "what would Carol say?"
In more recent years, Carol discovered that she had a natural talent for painting and enjoyed spending time in her studio creating wonderful landscapes.
She was a voracious reader, always in search of a new book, and could often be heard saying, "We don't need another television."
Carol's friends would often tease her about her propensity to transpose the initial letters of words, including "cleamer stams" and "would someone stop those bogs from darking."
Of the many kind and thoughtful messages from friends and family, one was spot on: "Such a bright light, full of compassion. Whip-smart with a smile that could draw you into heart and soul, and a laugh that was all her own and so endearing."
Carol maintained an incredibly positive attitude throughout the 3+ years that she dealt with ovarian cancer. The family extends heartfelt thanks to Dr. Christopher Darus and his staff at Providence Cancer Institute for their compassionate care throughout Carol's treatment.
As she had shown throughout her life, Carol displayed character, strength, and love until she passed away. She will be deeply missed by her friends and family. Her life on earth has ended, but the relationships she forged with her loved ones will continue on.
Carol is survived by her husband, Jeff, son Brian Day (Danielle Hughit), daughter Leslie Day (Andy Fox), granddaughter Ramona, grandson Julian, sister Linda, brother Bobby, as well as several nieces and nephews.
There will be a celebration of Carol's life the afternoon of September 7th. Details for family and friends will follow. Please contact [email protected] for any questions. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Carol's name to Oregon Public Broadcasting or the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance.