Carol Ann Hinkley

It is with great sadness that the family of Carol Ann Hinkley announces her passing on August 22, 2024, at the age of 86. Carol Ann was born on January 6, 1938, in Woodhaven, NY to Andrew and Consuelo (Martinez) Smith.

Carol Ann grew up in Woodhaven, as a member of both the parish and school of St. Thomas the Apostle. As an adult, she was the best "class mother" anyone could have, as all her children attended STA, and many friends remember her fondly as the chaperone of dozens of class trips through the years.

Carol Ann played the saxophone, and she danced from an early age at Miss Mildred Burchette's dance studio and would remain a talented dancer all her life. Carol Ann was even accepted to be a Radio City Music Hall Rockette, but her father wouldn't allow it.

Carol Ann refused to take the entrance exam for Bishop MacDonald, and instead chose to attend The Mary Louis Academy in Jamaica Estates for high school. She would be a strong supporter of TMLA for the rest of her life, sending both Debbie and Renee there for school, and serving as President of the Mother's Auxiliary.

For college, Carol Ann attended St. John's University, and given the standard career choices of secretary, nurse or teacher, she chose teaching so she could have her summers off. She worked as a third-grade teacher in Hicksville, and later earned her Master's Degree in Education from Queens College. The skills she learned in elementary education would serve her well as she ensured that all her children had strong grounding in phonics, grammar, composition and arithmetic. Carol Ann also made the effort to bring education beyond the classroom for her daughters, and many topics were supplemented by trips to related museums or excursions such as a trip to Chincoteague, VA to make the books about Misty come to life.

As her daughters moved on through their education, Carol Ann's focus turned to caring for friends and family members in need. She spent countless hours with maiden aunts or widowed cousins, buying groceries, paying bills, and managing doctor's appointments. Along with her sister, she bravely nursed her mother through Tootsie's final illness, and then had the trial of running from one hospital to the other when both her father and sister were gravely ill. Carol Ann's example inspired our actions during her own successful treatment for ovarian cancer in 1995, and in recent years as dementia began to take its toll. We are all grateful that we were able to keep her out of a nursing home even as her health declined.

We hope that everyone will remember her from earlier years, as someone who traveled extensively in Europe, coming back with stories that we will treasure forever; as someone who loved the beach, heading early each summer's day to Walnut Beach in the Village of Poquott, and not coming home until the need to make dinner just couldn't be ignored any longer; as someone who would take off on the J train on a moment's notice to head to TKTS and see what Broadway shows were available that night; as someone in the audience of NYCB basking in the reflected glow of Balanchine’s gorgeous dancers; as a good sport on Paul’s sailboat, acting as first mate and running below to “get the mop!”; as someone managing a tricky schedule of line dancing and bridge games and Garden City Homemaker meetings; as the owner of one of the best collections of Hollywood musicals, who could still belt out words of a song from 60 years ago without prompting; as the best Nana any child could ask for, devoting endless hours to picture books, trips, songs, and games.

Carol Ann was predeceased by her loving parents, Andrew and Consuelo Smith and her sister, Doris Arundell. She leaves behind her devoted husband, Paul and their daughters Deborah (Douglas Krebs), Renee McMahon (Kevin) and Christine Neff (Daniel) and seven grandchildren, Kevin Jr., Timothy, Michael, Ella, Andrew, Brigid and Fiona. Carol Ann will be deeply missed and forever loved and cherished by her family, relatives and friends. They will always be inspired by her example of fervent prayer to the Blessed Mother as Carol Ann's life on this earth ended, on the day we commemorate the Queenship of Mary.

Visitation will be held on Friday, August 30th from 4:00pm-9:00pm at the O.B. Davis Funeral Homes, 4839 Nesconset Hwy, Port Jefferson Station, NY 11776. A celebration of Carol Ann’s life will be held on Saturday, August 31st at 10:45am at St. James Roman Catholic Church, 429 NY-25A, Setauket-East Setauket, NY 11733. Burial services will immediately follow church services at St. James Roman Catholic Church Cemetery which is attached to the church property.

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers you send "a shower of roses from Heaven." Donations can be made in the name of Carol Ann Hinkley to the Society of the Little Flower, at www.LittleFlower.org