Carolyn M. Heusmann

Carolyn M. Heusmann (nee’ Montgomery,) daughter of John C. Montgomery and Caroll Montgomery (nee’ Diomond) and wife of H W Heusmann for 53 years whom she met when joining the UMass Outing Club at the Amherst campus, passed peacefully on November 17, 2023, at UMass Memorial, Worcester from Pulmonary Fibrosis. She said she was ready to go, and maintaining her sense of humor commented on the money she was saving by not going into a $450 a day Hospice facility.

Carolyn received a B.A. from the University of Massachusetts and after, was employed at the former Worcester State Hospital as a social worker.  She left that position to become the Director of Sheraton House in Worcester and when that facility closed, volunteered at the Worcester Rape Crisis Center, (now Pathways for Change) professionalized it and became the Director.  She enrolled in the University of Connecticut, Storrs where she earned her Master of Social Work degree. Carolyn then opened a private practice in Shrewsbury and when rent became too high H built her an office in Upton over their garage continuing during the Covid pandemic via telework even when patients moved to Maine and California. She continued her practice until declining health forced her to turn it over to other providers until just recently.

She and H had two daughters, Shana and Shell and took tent camping vacations throughout the U.S. On one cross country vacation, H took their daughters across the country and Carolyn wisely said, “I’ll fly out and meet you at Red Woods National Park”. Before children, Carolyn went on vacation to Demark.  The family also visited several Canadian provinces, making several trips to Prince Edward Island where the Montgomery family first arrived on American shores. Carolyn was a relative of Lucy Maud Montgomery, author of Anne of Green Gables. She and H alternated Christmases between home and H’s family in Illinois driving overnight, first with their daughters and then by themselves as their daughters became adults.

Carolyn, known to family and friends as Lyn, helped hundreds of patients with mental health issues for over 40 years. Though handicapped after a botched back operation which left her partially paralyzed in one leg and needing a brace to get around and with the help of a walker when outside, it did not prevent Lyn and H to continuing their camping adventures, most recently touring Newfoundland in June/July 2022.

Carolyn is survived by her brother, John C. Montgomery, husband H W Heusmann, daughter Shana Lyn Daykin and her husband Patrick Daykin and granddaughter Kaitlyn Daykin; daughter Shell Janet Heusmann and grandson Tavin Hochmuth and Tavin’s father, Zackary Hochmuth, dogs Vivi, Thor Janet, and Zola. Also, sister-in-law Juanita Miller and husband William Miller of Colorado, Sister-in-law Kathleen Heusmann though her brother-in-law, Larry Heusmann of Illinois died the same evening as Carolyn. Carolyn was preceded in death by her younger sister, Janet A. Montgomery, whom which she shared the same birthday and close relationship making annual visits to her sister’s Hawaii home.

A private service for family members was held on November 17 at the Rural Crematorium in Worcester.

A celebration of life will be held in the springtime for Carolyn.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Doctors without Borders; Pathways for Change, Worcester; or BayPath Humane Society of Hopkinton.