Carol Louise (Fessenden) Morse, 94, passed away peacefully on August 8, 2023 at Sunny Acres Nursing Home in Chelmsford, MA, with her children by her side. She had suffered with Parkinson’s Disease for nearly two decades. Carol faced this disease with an indomitable spirit, a positive outlook, and her unfailing strength in adversity.
Carol was born in North Adams, Massachusetts on February 24, 1929, daughter of Chester Arthur and Charlotte (Waterhouse) Fessenden. She was educated in Massachusetts schools and graduated from Springfield Hospital School of Nursing as a Registered Nurse. Her life and marriage moved her from Massachusetts, to Cold Spring, NY, Clinton, ME, and finally to Groton and Chelmsford, MA to be closer to her children after the loss of her beloved husband, George.
Carol worked as a Registered Nurse at the Springfield Hospital for 10 years, working in the operating room, and rising to Operating Room supervisor. During her time there, she was a member of the team for the first kidney transplant and the first arterial graft. Carol also worked at the Hospital of the University of Philadelphia, Butterfield Memorial Hospital (Cold Spring, NY), and Beacon (NY) Hospital. Her nursing career included serving as camp nurse at Mitigwa Camp in Rangeley, Maine, where she met her future husband, George.
Carol was a gifted singer and loved music in all forms throughout her life. She served as a soprano soloist and founding choir member in Camerata Chorale in Poughkeepsie, NY, and was a soloist at several churches in the Springfield area, New York, and Maine, and performed at many weddings. Her rendition of Little Jesus Boy on Christmas Eve will be remembered by many for as long as they live.
Carol took a break from nursing to raise her two children, and retired from nursing in 1985, but never stopped being active. She was a member and often officer of the Women’s Legislative Counsel, the Tuesday Club, book clubs, United Methodist Women, and was a member of the local church in each town she lived. Her apple paradise and Easter morning coffee cakes were the hit of many a church meal.
Carol loved her family and friends, hiking and skiing as long as she could (a former member of the Appalachian Mountain Club), the White Mountains, and traveling around the globe. Carol visited the Alps, Alaska, the National Parks, and Niagara Falls with George, and England, Scotland and Wales with her daughter, Carol-Anne. In later years, Carol continued to enjoy listening to music programs, reading, genealogy, and visits with those close to her.
Carol is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Carol-Anne (Morse) and Art Taddeo of Pepperell, MA; her son and daughter-in-law, Howard and Carrie (Ashkenazi) Morse and their children, Samantha and Emily of Brookline, NH; her brother, Peter Fessenden of East Longmeadow, MA; her nephew Peter Fessenden and his wife Peri-Ann also of East Longmeadow, MA and their children Matthew and Noelani (Roy) Fessenden and Dana (Fessenden) and Dillon Gerfin. Carol was pre-deceased by her husband George Morse.
The family would like to thank the staff of Sunny Acres Nursing Home, who cared for Carol with kindness and love during her last years.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, September 16, 2023 at 11am at the Community Church of Pepperell, 3 Townsend St., Pepperell. A private burial will be held at Hillcrest Park in Springfield, MA at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Carol’s name to The Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research at michaeljfox.org.
Obituary published on Legacy.com by Blake Chelmsford Funeral Home on Aug. 16, 2023.