Carolyn Carson Grill

January 2, 1942 - May 11, 2023
Carolyn Carson Grill

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Carolyn (Cally) Grill, 81, of Wilmington passed away peacefully on May 11th, 2023. Born in Syracuse NY, to Burke and Katharine Carson, she grew up in Skaneateles NY.

She was a graduate of Skaneateles High School, and earned both a BA in Political Science from Bucknell University and an MBA from Rutgers University.

She raised three children in North Plainfield and Whitehouse Station NJ, along with her former husband Warren Grill Sr., who predeceased her. During that time, she began her 35 year career in procurement, which eventually brought her to Rochester NY where she spent 20 years working for Xerox and enjoyed proximity to where she grew up.

Cally was an accomplished runner, completing several marathons, including New York and Boston. When her knees began to protest, she shifted her focus to golf, which she enjoyed for many years, especially during her retirement in Wilmington, NC.

She was an active volunteer throughout her life, most recently with the Habitat for Humanity ReStore and the New Hanover County Arboretum. Passionate about the Habitat mission, she participated in international builds in Nepal, Bali, and Trinidad & Tobago. She also served as a Master Gardener at the Arboretum.

She loved to travel, garden, read, bird watch, cook and bake for others, root for Duke basketball, and spend time at Skaneateles Lake and the ocean.

Cally is survived by her three children, Jennifer Carson, Warren Grill (Julie), and Emily Galligan (Mike) and 6 grandchildren, as well as sisters Linda Lavery and Jennifer Marx and brother Burke Carson.

A memorial service will be held on June 10th at 11:00 a.m. at St. Andrews On-the-Sound Episcopal Church at 101 Airlie Road, Wilmington NC. Donations may be made to Cape Fear Habitat for Humanity.


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