Caroline Kelley Swart OBITUARY
Caroline Kelley Swart was born on March 18, 1951, in Glendale, California, to Margaret (ne Gault) and Harrison Kelley. She grew up in Altadena, the oldest of four children, in a home her parents built. Caroline graduated from Pasadena High School in 1969, where she participated in student government and service clubs, worked on the school newspaper, and was a member of the drill team and honor society. A notable academic, Caroline earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from Connecticut College and a master's degree in education from Indiana University.
Caroline, a lifelong educator, first taught elementary school in Jeffersonville, Indiana, and later returned to California and taught at Merryland School in Pasadena. Her commitment to early childhood education continued as a kindergarten teacher and reading specialist in the El Monte City School District, where she taught for over 20 years until the end of her career. Caroline was a staunch advocate for students and acted as a mentor for numerous student teachers. She also participated in the Delta Kappa Gamma Society for Women Educators and P.E.O. Chapter FB-JL.
Always up for an adventure, Caroline enjoyed traveling with her husband, Dal, who passed away in November 2023, and encouraged others to experience new things. She loved chatting with friends and neighbors, going to the movies with her daughters (always reading the book first), eating in classic restaurants with red leather booths, nurturing orchids, making sour cream waffles with homemade syrup, and acting as an amateur sleuth while watching murder mysteries.
We will miss her huge smile, infectious laughter, quick wit, and clever fun facts. Caroline was a true cheerleader of many and unwavering in her support for her children. She was generous and genuinely warm, making everyone feel welcome from the moment they met her.
Caroline is survived by her siblings, Cynthia (Bradford) Thiel, Martin (Jeanne) Kelley, and John (Cecilia) Kelley; daughters Katherine (Richard) An and Claire Krystkiewicz; stepchildren Douglas (Robyn) Swart and Melissa Swart; and five step-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, please send any memorial donations to the Pasadena Humane Society.
