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Carolyn Foster Mottola, 83, died peacefully on May 28, 2023, in hospice, in the presence of her beloved Joe, her devoted husband of 59 years.
Carolyn was full of life and creative energy, and was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend whose quick wit and graceful elegance will be sorely missed.
Carolyn was born in Buena Vista to Robert and Myrtle Stinnett Foster. The youngest of five children, she learned to “push for a place at the table,” and brought that outspoken energy to everything she did.
She graduated from Parry McCluer High School in 1956, attended Southern Seminary Junior College, then earned her BA degree in English in 1963 from Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg.
Carolyn then moved to Washington, D.C., taking a job with the Bond Buyer newspaper in pursuit of a career in journalism. Soon after, she met her beloved Joe, got married and became a fulltime wife and mom to three daughters, raising her family in Annandale. When the girls were all school-aged, Carolyn started a career with American Express as a travel counselor and kindled a passion for travel. She traveled extensively throughout Europe and Asia.
After retirement, and notwithstanding Carolyn’s love for the Blue Ridge Mountains, she and Joe moved to North Carolina; first to Efland and later to the welcoming community of Fearrington Village in Pittsboro.
Always artistic and “crafty,” Carolyn indulged her passion for painting. She spent many happy hours in her art studios, creating lovely works of art which she displayed in art shows, and which now bring life to her family’s homes.
It was during retirement also that Carolyn nudged Joe to buy a small RV, in which they traveled all over the U.S.A. to visit the national parks they missed during their working years. Carolyn loved to travel without suitcases, or changing hotel rooms, and with her own bathroom.
Carolyn is survived by her husband, Joseph Mottola, and daughters Suzanne Nicholas (Michael) of Vienna, Va.; Katherine “Layne” Mottola (Rob) of Chapel Hill, N.C.; and Rosemary Ferrier (Kevin) of Long Beach, California. She is also survived by her eight beloved grandchildren: Maeve Taylor, Lane Nicholas, Olwen Taylor, William Nicholas, Drew Nicholas, Joe Ferrier, Lia Taylor, and Nate Ferrier; her sister, Betty Goolsby of Buena Vista; and many nieces and nephews, especially Angela Radick and Lisa Dunlap, who graced her life to the end.
A celebration of Carolyn’s life will be held at The Gathering Place in Fearrington, 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 24, 26 Swim & Croquet, Pittsboro, N.C., 27312.
In lieu of flowers, we kindly request you make donations to Duke HomeCare and Hospice, Hock Family Pavilion (www.givetodukeathome.
org), whose caring people helped Carolyn find her peace; and to CORA Food Pantry of Pittsboro (www. corafoodpantry.org), where Carolyn enjoyed her years of volunteer work.
The Mottola family is being served by the Donaldson Funeral Home and Crematory, Pittsboro, N.C. Please visit their website at www.donaldsonfunerals. com to share condolences online. N-G
