Carolyn Lee Ferrero

PREFACE:  Carolyn my wife, friend and partner for the last 41 years now is with God. This will be a usual obituary and unusual.  Usual in that it will have the typical biography.  Unusual in the fact that it really is a letter or a draft to Carolyn.  She was a legal secretary for over 35 years.  She was my editor in chief for all important correspondences.  She had her little red pen and would make suggestions, corrections, edits for me.  Hopefully I didn't misspell any names, or get dates incorrect.  She was almost always correct.  I used to call her my school teacher.  The other way it is unusual is that I have written obituaries for other people.  Now I am writing on in which I am a part of and many times speak in third person.  Please look over that as I told you, this is a draft, a love letter. I think it is pretty complete.

Carolyn,

You passed very quickly due to a serious health issue. Just like that, you left us and you were gone.  We were so unprepared for the hole you have left. Your suffering is now over, but ours begins.  You were born in Lodi, California.  Your father was Roy Cardwell (deceased) and your mother is Pat Cardwell.  You have two sisters, Sonya Sweet, married to Lou Sweet and Brenda Nolen wife to Patrick Nolen.  You have two step brothers, David Linder(deceased) and Jason Linder.  You have two half brothers, Roy Lee Cardwell and Jay D Cardwell. You were raised in Lodi, California but did briefly live in Antioch, California in your mid teens.

You returned back to Lodi, where you attended and graduated from Tokay High School in 1979. You did briefly attend Delta College and American River College, but began working and had to stop.  One of your first jobs was at the Red Barn restaurant.  Then you worked for a bank in Stockton, California for a year or two.  You then began to work as a legal secretary for a Law firm in Stockton for a couple of years.  You accepted Jesus Christ as her savior sometime around late 1980 or 1981.  At that time you attended Century Assembly in Lodi.  There, you made many friends, some you still had contact with until you were taken.

In the summer of 1983, you met your future husband, Danny Ferrero.  We eventually married on 1-11-85.  Actually, eloped. That pissed a lot of people off but they loved you and got over it.  In July of 1985,  we moved to Sacramento to begin our lives together.  You quickly found employment in a law firm and have worked for 3 or 4 other firms in the years to follow. I began my chiropractic practice, and still am practicing. You were a member of the Active 20/30 Club,  #1032. There was an eight year stint, between law firms where you and I worked together in this practice.  On 1-11-2016, you ultimately started working for the State of California in the Office of Legal Services as a legal secretary. Every place you worked, your co-workers and superiors were sad that you left.  Offering a bonus if you would reconsider.  We use to laugh and say they should have thought of that sooner.  You were like a great athlete that went to another team and got a better deal. You, no doubt were one of their best and most productive employees.  You made many great friends along your legal secretary career and regularly would meet with them.

You gave birth to Nicole Patricia Ferrero on August 31th in1986. Ironically we basically lost you then, but God intervened.  As a result of a mistake in the C-Section, a week later when the swelling reduced the large artery that had been cut. It burst and you nearly died as you were  hemorrhaging to death.  You lost five and a half pints of blood (that is really all a human has) and needed 6 pints to save your life.  Although you were terribly allergic to Cats, you had new life. You ultimately recovered and became a mom.  You were told that you wouldn't be able to have any more children, but I apparently took that as a challenge and eleven years later, you gave birth to Julia Camilla Ferrero on October 7, 1997.  Nicole lives in Acampo, California, and is married to Brian Boos who is a fireman.  Julia  lives in Cranbury, New Jersey.

Through the years we traveled to many places. We saw the greatest entertainers and musicians in the world.  We saw some lousy entertainers and musicians too. We were going to travel more when you retired but things quickly changed.  You also were a loving mother to over ten dogs over the last 39 years. Many of them were rescue.  You told me that it was too hard to adopt the older dogs because we get so attached to them and then they go and die.  Ultimately I convinced you that no matter how long we had them in our family, it would be their best life.  You slept on it and agreed. You told me that you decided their happiness with us was more important than our grief without them. Smart girl.

You loved to read, and were in many book club groups and would write book reviews which were well received from all over the world.  Some of the responses to your reviews said your review may have been better than the book. You were a good friend, and well loved by all that were in your life. Your kind, gentle demeanor made it easy to want to be around you. A light in the room.  Your illness began so quickly as it robbed you and all of us of your future and life.  In conversations that I have had from my friends and family since you have passed, they all ask how I was doing?  Fair question. It is one I would ask. Well, I tell them at first it is just getting through the next minute. Then just get through the next hour then hours.  Now it's days. You probably see where this is going.  Everyone who has suffered a loss probably understands.  Hug and kiss your loved ones all the time and tell them that you love them.  When they walk out that door on any given day, there are no guarantees they walk back through it.  It is human nature to want more, but I really think we just want longer.  I've heard, life is a blink.  Life definitely blinked. You are now with the Lord.

I loved and still love you Carolyn, I made the right choice. I hope you did too. See you when it's time.    ~fin~

Danny

EPILOGUE:  This information now is for all of you who would like to attend her service and celebration of life.  If you have read this, you can see there is a section for comments.  Please feel free to leave any of your thoughts or comments about Carolyn.  Also, I would ask that if you plan on attending, if you could RSVP and let me know so I have some idea about how much food and beverages to have ready.  Feel free to invite your spouse or partner.

Her funeral service will be on Friday, June 21st at 2:00 p.m. sharp. It will be at:

Jubilare Evangelistic Ministries

1505 Sports Drive

Sacramento, California  95834

Phone #:  (916)928-9399

Pastor Ronnie Walton will preside.

He is a good man and Christian.

FYI, it is near the old Arco Arena where the Kings use to play.

The celebration of life will be at:

Sacramento Horseman's Association

3200 Longview Dr.

Sacramento, California  95821

It is near Hwy 80 and Watt Avenue.  It is approximately 7 miles from the church, a ten minute drive.