Carolyn May Woolman

Carolyn May Slattery was born April 30, 1944 in Chadron, Nebraska. She was the daughter of Donald Wallace Slattery, a Geophysicist and Inventor, and Flora May Slattery, a Teacher. Carolyn was the middle child, the third of five children. The granddaughter of a Frontier Judge and a very musically inclined grandmother, Carolyn showed her musical prowess early in her life. As a young girl, she sang and played for church regularly. As a teen, Carolyn attended Campion Academy in Loveland, Colorado, where she and her family resided for 19 years. While at Campion Academy, Carolyn was a lead performer in many musical productions including: the Chopin and Warsaw Concertos with an Orchestra, and 'The Messiah’. While still in high school, she was also mentored by the great Wendell Diebel, the first Piano Soloist featured on CBS. Carolyn graduated with the class of 1962, and attended Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska shortly thereafter. In 1965, Chapel Records produced an album, ‘Keep a Song Ringing in your Heart’, featuring Carolyn on vocals. She met her future, husband, and father of her children, Ronald Eugene Martin. On July 3rd, 1966, the two were married at the Loveland Seventh Day Adventist Church. On October 7, 1967, she gave birth to her first son, Rodney Eugene Martin. In spring of 1972, the couple moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, where she gave birth to Jennifer Lynn Martin (named after the opera singer, Jenny Lind). In 1975, the couple moved to Wyoming, where they resided for many years. Carolyn was a devout mother, and always worked jobs where she could be there for her kids. At one point in the 80s, Carolyn ran a catering business, and boy, did she have a following! She had a special horn that she would sound to alert customers that she had arrived at their business. People would swarm her! The business was very lucrative, especially with Carolyn running it! She added excitement to anything she did. She also drove a school bus, and, of course, she had to make that an adventure, too. She was loved by the kids and always took a special interest in any child who looked downtrodden or picked on. During this time, she also worked as an Organist for St. James Episcopal Church in Riverton. She also played regularly for multiple functions around town, even being asked to perform when the Honorable US Senator, Alan Simpson of Wyoming came to town. She composed many songs, and had a large PA system in the house, where she would record music that she wrote. Carolyn was always dressed to the nines, but you wouldn’t know it by where she shopped. She was a thrift shop fanatic, but constantly received compliments on her clothing. She was well-known and loved by many. At one point, the manager of Safeway made a statement that she should run for Mayor! In January of 1981, Carolyn gave birth to a second son, Curtis Eric Martin. In 1986, Carolyn moved to Tempe, Arizona, where she was offered a Full Ride Scholarship to study Music Education. After transferring to the University of Wyoming, she completed her degree in 1989: graduating with the highest honors, Delta Kappa Pi. She went on to teach music in Powell, Wyoming, and later at St. Stephen’s Indian School. In 1994, Carolyn married Ron White, a peach farmer from Grand Junction, Colorado. Carolyn lived and worked on the peach farm for approximately 14 years. During her years in Grand Junction, she became well known as a Singer, Organist, and Piano Accompanist. She was also a Soloist and Accompanist for the Schumann Singers and the High Desert Light Opera. In 2012, Carolyn produced a CD of piano and vocals called, ‘The Mellow Side of God’. It was also during her time in Colorado that ‘Baby Snowff’ was born. Anyone who knew Carolyn knew about ‘Snowff, The Snowflake Kid’, one of two series of books for which Carolyn was an author. The ’Snowff’ series was an educational series of books used to teach the Water Cycle and many other scientific concepts with fun characters and, of course, self-composed songs. Carolyn also authored the ‘Furry Bear’ series, in which a wheelchair-bound child finds a best friend in a bear that comes to life. She also wrote an instructional shoe tying book called ‘Loop-D-Loo and the Wizard of Tie-it’. In 2003, Carolyn became the organist / pianist at the Palisade United Methodist Church. Little did she know she would later marry the then-Pastor, Al Woolman. On December 23, 2013, Al and Carolyn were married in a small home ceremony. They resided in Palisade, Colorado, and enjoyed some recreational experiences that they very-much enjoyed: camping (almost glamping), taking rides in the side-by-side on the Grand Mesa, and also taking care of baby granddaughter, Callie. They, the three of them were well-known at the Golden Corral and the Goodwill. Carolyn was always sensitive to those down on their luck, and she gave multiple hugs to patrons at the Goodwill. She was truly a light in a dim world. Her talent mixed with her tenacity and caring heart made her a rarity in this world. Even at the end of her life, she was still sharing the love of Jesus, with people who were caring for her. Her legacy lives on in every soul that she touched. She is survived by her husband, Al Woolman of Palisade, her brother, Wallace Slattery of Smyrna, DE, her sister, Virginia Slattery Minick (Thomas) of Phoenix, AZ, her brother, Dr. Wayne Slattery (Phyllis) of Los Alamos, NM, her brother, Wendell Slattery (Marlynda) of Mission Viejo, CA, her son, Rodney Martin of Grand Junction, CO, her son, Curtis Martin of Boise, ID, her daughter, Jennifer Martin Goakes of Grand Junction, CO, 4 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.

A funeral service for Carolyn will be held Wednesday, November 8, 2023, at 10:00 AM at Palisade United Methodist Church, 365 Main Street, Palisade, Colorado 81526. Following the funeral service will be a committal service at 1:00 PM at Veterans Memorial Cemetery of Western Colorado, 2830 Riverside Parkway, Grand Junction, Colorado 81501.

Memorial contributions in Carolyn's name may be brought in or mailed to any Alpine Bank location, c/o the Carolyn Woolman Memorial Fund.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.MartinMortuary.com for the Woolman family.

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