Carol Randolph Crosthwait

Carol Page Rice was born December 22, 1935, at what is now Providence Hospital in Waco, Texas, the daughter of artists, Evelyn Gay Wilson and Dustin Rice. In one of the many serendipities of her long and full life, Carol was delivered by her future father-in-law, Dr. Robert Wilson Crosthwait. Carol’s mother, Evelyn Gay Wilson Rice, and her family were close to the Aynesworth family. Dr. K. H. Aynesworth was supposed to deliver Gay’s baby, but he was at a Christmas party and sent his son-in-law instead. At age 2, Carol met the love of her life, Dr. K.H.’s grandson, Robert Wilson (“Bobby”) Crosthwait Jr. Friends at first, they grew up riding horses in Cameron Park. Raised by her grandparents, Carol spent her early years at 600 Park Avenue in Waco, surrounded by art, music and horses. Grandfather Alfred Randolph (“A.R.”) Wilson was President of the Amicable Life Insurance Company and spent his days at the top of the ALICO building. Grandmother Gertrude Hoag Spindle Wilson helped found the Waco Symphony. In 1944, Carol’s mother married Ralph Turner, and she assumed the name Carol Randolph Turner. Ralph and Gay had two sons, Carol’s brothers, Ralph Turner III. and George Turner. Carol attended the Hockaday School and Waco High School, and graduated from National Cathedral School in Washington, D.C. in 1952. Carol’s first year in college was at Sweet Briar College. In 1953, Carol’s grandfather became ill and she transferred to the University of Texas at Austin. Carol was a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority, held office in the Campus League of Women Voters and Tee Club, and majored in Government. During her senior year at Texas, Bobby drove from Baylor College of Medicine to propose. The Pi Phis gathered for the traditional proposal walk, only to be horrified when Bobby’s diamond engagement ring was presented on the finger of a medical school cadaver. Carol and Bobby married August 11, 1956, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Waco. Carol then joined Bobby in Houston for the continuation of his medical school studies and taught seventh grade history at John J. Pershing junior high school. While in Houston, Carol pursued a Masters in history at Rice University and taught history at St. John’s School. She also gave birth to her three daughters, Gay Aynesworth, Edna Buckner, and Nancy Brian Crosthwait. After Bobby completed his residency in vascular and thoracic surgery with Drs. Michael DeBakey and Denton Cooley, the family of five embarked for London, England for Bobby’s fellowship at Guy’s Hospital. Carol thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to travel in England and other European countries. They returned to the United States and settled in Waco in December 1965. From the beginning, they were active members of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Carol taught Sunday School and became the first woman member of the Vestry. She and Bobby engaged in and led Education for Ministry and Cursillo and traveled to Israel on a pilgrimage with other church members in 1984. Their love of the church culminated in their decision to donate and create the St. Paul’s Columbarium. They wanted to be near St. Paul’s and the church community always. As a mother, Carol encouraged her daughters to participate in team sports and aerobic exercise at a time when that was unusual. Carol carpooled her girls to many swim and softball practices, tennis camps, horseback shows, and music and dance lessons. Carol herself was an excellent tennis player, and won a number of local tournaments. Carol served as President and was an active member of the Women’s Club, where she loved to deliver papers, written at the last minute in the middle of the night, that always turned out well. Carol volunteered with the Martin Museum of Art at Baylor University, Meals on Wheels, the Art Center of Waco, the Brazos River Festival, the Women’s Auxiliary of the McLennan County Medical Society, the American Heart Society and other charitable groups. She was a regular at the Waco Symphony and an active blood donor. Carol showed her love of the local community through posting large, hand-painted signs on the fence in front of her home announcing arrivals, departures, birthdays and the occasional political commentary. Carol’s greatest passion, art, included painting, sculpture and especially photography. With Bobby, Carol loved meeting artists and collecting their work. Her eclectic collection includes Kermit Oliver, Dorothy Hood, Pablo Picasso, Bob Wade, Harry Fonseca, Donald Roller Wilson and others. Carol also curated her parents’ and step-father’s art and helped organize a retrospective of the work of her mother, Gay Dreyer, at the Art Center of Waco in 1995. Carol also arranged to have two Dreyer sculptures donated to the Art Center. In the early 1990s, Carol turned more seriously to professional photography. She started a company called Art Quest and studied photography in Santa Fe. Carol sold many photos and proudly displayed them locally. Carol’s photography featured the flowers, people and places of the West, including Texas, New Mexico and Utah. Carol also wrote poetry and sketched. After Bobby’s death on June 21, 2005, Carol expressed her grief in a memorable photograph called “The Widow.” Carol and Bobby became grandparents in 1988 and assumed the names MamaCat and Bobcat. They organized summer sessions called “Camp Crosthwait” to introduce their eight grandchildren to the joys of tennis, Texas barbeque, inner tubing on Lake Waco, golf, and fishing. Carol moved to the Edgemere Community in Dallas in 2017 where she was known as the busiest and friendliest person there. She wrote a secret guide to Edgemere life and knew the names of all of the staff and residents. She enjoyed the Edgemere book group, working in the herb garden and orchid hot house, swimming, organizing a show of her photography and participating in St. Michael and All Angels’ Bible study. In 2018, Carol became a great-grandmother. Carol had an unmatchable joie de vivre. Bringing beauty and laughter to every situation, Carol enjoyed conversation, comedy, Broadway shows, museums, reading, movies, fine dining, travel and music of all kinds, especially Baroque music. Her artistic sensibility led her to often dress in bright colors and beautiful patterns. She also loved costumes and was known to show up in a gorilla costume (and not just on Halloween.) Most of all, Carol loved her large family and many friends. She is survived by her children, Nancy Crosthwait Allen, Edna and Mark Cannata, and Gay and Carl Grunfeld; her grandchildren, David Wayne Allen Jr., John Mark Cannata, Carol Randolph Allen, William Buckner Danforth, Catherine Cannata McNabb, Evelyn Ruth Danforth-Scott and Mitchel Scott, Margaret Cannata Grotte and Grant Grotte, and Olivia Martine Danforth and Meghan Zolnay; great-grandchildren, George Grant Grotte and Ella Catherine Grotte; brothers, Ralph and Corie Turner and George and Marilyn Turner; nieces and nephews Erin and Eric Cook, Kyle Turner, Mathew Turner, Sarah and Frankie Bradshaw, James and Melisa Bennett, Clifton and Caroline Bennett, and Kenneth and Debbie Bennett; and cousins and godchildren too numerous to count. The family is deeply grateful to loving caregivers Glendy Rosenborg and Linda Tobar and the staff of the Plaza Skilled Nursing and Edgemere Independent Living Community in Dallas for their kindness and caring. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in Carol’s memory to the Art Center of Waco, KERA Dallas, the Lilith Fund or a charity related to Carol’s many passions. Funeral services will be held Friday, May 27, at 2:00 p.m. at St. Michael and All Angels, Dallas, Texas, and Saturday, May 28, at 12:00 p.m. at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Waco, Texas, the latter followed by inurnment at the Columbarium. Receptions will follow each service. Funeral attire is festive, bright colors. Hats and costumes optional.