David Kroenlein
Seeing memories of Carol Kendall Dalton and Mary Lohrenz Fox next to each other takes me back to my reintroduction to Carol and then to Mary in the 1980’s.
I was introduced to “Carol Dalton” when I was on the Session of Hitchcock Presbyterian Church in Scarsdale, NY. She was joining the local church on a letter of transfer from a church in Wichita. I then realized that she was high school classmate Carol Kendall, married to high school classmate Larry Dalton. Carol quickly became a very active and much beloved member of the church and its women’s organization. The Dalton’s daughter Amanda was in the youth group. I remember Larry’s pitching in for an event of family fun where he circulated with the Kodak instant camera, new in the market, with Larry as the senior account executive at the advertising agency representing Eastman Kodak. Then Carol’s disease struck. Church members and her community of friends rallied around her, Larry and Amanda, to provide medical and emotional support during her struggles. She is remembered for her warmth and compassion by those who are still church members.
Mary Lohrenz Fox, who lived in nearby Wilton, CT, joined in the support of Carol, Larry and Amanda during these difficult times, and I was able to renew the friendship with Mary, one of my favorite classmates. Mary was much admired in the Darien, CT Library community, where she was the head reference librarian. Not surprisingly, the personality of the Darien Library is consistent with Mary’s – highly professional, very welcoming. I have come to know the library and Mary’s reputation as I have frequently visited it with our granddaughters who live in Darien. One of my daughters currently serves on the library board of directors. It is not surprising to know that Mary had a substantial impact in that community through her interactions with the community at the Darien Library. She was remembered at the library long after her move to Arizona. Her emails were filled with intelligence, commentary and a wicked sense of humor.
Carol and Mary were outstanding persons who brought much to their communities.
David, I am so glad you have reminded us of good friends. I knew Carol because we were in the same Sunday School class in grade school, middle school, and high school. In middle school, Mary Lohrenz joined us. In that same group were Patty Pierce, Suzanne Porter, Helen Olson, Mike Tierney and Dick Carlock. I remember giggling so much with Dick Carlock that we both got kicked out for a short period of time. I think there were many more East students in that College Hill Methodist group, but my memory is flawed by age. I do recall that getting up on Sunday morning for Sunday School was pretty easy, but hanging on for church service afterwards taxed my patience. Sometimes Helen and I joined the choir. Others of us showed up for Sunday night youth group, and finally Patty Pierce and I were talked into being the candle lighters, leading the clergy in the sanctuary with a ceremonial march down the main aisle. My parents sat where they had an eagle eye on me that kept me serious and awake. I was never allowed to miss Sunday rituals unless I had pneumonia, measles, or chicken pox. But back to Carol and Mary, they were very polite and great friends who I have missed!