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Kathleen Anne (Olson) Carey

Date of Death: May 17, 2025

Date of Birth: June 30, 1948

Biography:

Kathleen Anne (Olson) Carey

Topsham- Kathleen Anne (Olson) Carey of Brunswick passed from this life on to adventures unknown on May 17, 2025.   She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend; a teacher, crafter, gardener, and photographer; and a memorable conversationalist.

Kathy grew up in a close-knit family in Worcester, Mass. and remained an active part of the lives of her brothers and sister and their children throughout her life.  While Kathy was a student at Clark University, she attended the wedding of her close friend Pamela Carey (now Lentz) and there met Steve Carey, then a student at Bowdoin College.   They married in 1971 and enjoyed 53 years of adventures together, raising their family in Brunswick.   She was immensely proud of her children, Ben Carey of Houston, TX and Maggie Stone and her husband Keith of Freeport, ME, and she loved her role as “Mims” to her grandchildren, Nola and Sam Stone.

Kathy was a teacher for many years at the Williams-Cone School in Topsham.   She had the gift of gab and loved to share random thoughts and life stories.   She loved to work on her flower garden and drink tea; she even combined these passions with a garden mounted tea pot which was as impractical as it sounds.  She loved the ocean, and spent many afternoons on nature walks on the Maine coast or sitting in her garden looking down Maquoit Bay.  

Kathy was an active crafter and enjoyed quilting, knitting, needlepoint, and paper crafts with her crafting friends.   She also loved to take photographs.   She started in earnest when her children were young, often annoying them with candid shots of them talking on the phone or in the middle of eating.   Her perseverance led to a true talent and she created many artistic photos from travels around the world.   Each year, she created a calendar of original photography which she shared with friends and family.

Kathy suffered from dementia which crept slowly into her life and accelerated after the death of her husband.  Her journey was rocky like a Maine coastal scene – at times so foggy and dense you could barely tell she was there, then sometimes with the loud anxiety of a crashing wave, but occasionally breaking to clear and calm, an ever-changing diorama.  The ebbs and flows of her journey exposed her core personality – deeply concerned for others, always kind and gentle with children, and endlessly creative.   When she moved into the Governor King Memory Center at The Highlands, she convinced herself that she had been hired as a teacher and often comforted other residents.   Her wild imagination led to various adventures told to the many friends who visited her.

Kathy’s family is incredibly grateful to the caring and patient staff at The Highlands and to her friends who continuously supported her through her journey.    She was among the most-visited residents and got many cards in the mail – a testament to the caring friendships she cultivated over so many years.   We could not be more grateful for the love and kindnesses.

She is survived by her children and grandchildren and her brother, Mike Olson of Exeter, NH.   She is also survived by her in-law siblings and numerous beloved nieces and nephews.  She was predeceased by her husband, Stephen Carey (d. 2024); her parents, Francis and Mabel Olson; her brother, Robert Olson and his wife, Judy; her sister, Jean Corbett; and Pat Olson, wife of Mike.  

A memorial service will be held at St. Paul’s Episcopal in Brunswick on Saturday, June 21 at 10 AM.

Condolences may be expressed at www.funeralalternatives.net