Carol Marie Paulin was born Feb 4, 1941, and died peacefully at home July 12, 2025. She was born and raised in Union Beach, the youngest child of Alexander and Marie Provina, but lived in Belford for 60 years.
Carol graduated from Keyport High School and, in 1960, married the love of her life, Leonard Paulin, whom she met at a Halloween costume party when they were both 14. Sept. 24, 2025, would have been their 65th wedding anniversary.
Carol and Leonard had three children, Joy Gamache (Robert), Jill Paulin, and Leonard Paulin Jr. (Kathleen), and six grandchildren, Charles Bayham III, Leonard Paulin Jr., Daniel Paulin, Amber Bayham, Matthew Paulin and Jenna Paulin. Carol had several cousins, two nieces and two nephews, including her niece Robin Bausback (Brian), whom she was especially close to and loved dearly. She also had many good friends and neighbors, and loved the family pups as family members.
Carol was a Realtor and long-time member of the Million Dollar Club. She even worked remotely from home until the end, loving every minute of it. She was a member of St. Mary’s parish in Middletown and served on the Ladies Auxiliary. She loved people and loved to talk. She was warm and friendly to every person she spoke to.
Carol’s nickname was “Baby Carol” because she had a childlike enthusiasm and took such joy in everything she did. She was always the life of the party, her family’s hub, the unsinkable and unbreakable Carol Paulin; she was a one-of-a-kind, a legend.
She was a Stage 4 cancer survivor and survived many other illnesses and obstacles in her later years. Carol was fiery and funny, larger than life – a firecracker and very personable – always the lead singer in every “Happy Birthday.” She loved and was devoted to her family, and never had a small holiday or occasion. She loved big, loud and happy. She loved food and dining, and to sparkle, and she shone brightly.
Carol loved Dolly Parton, got to see her in concert and went to Dollywood, one of her dreams. She loved to travel, fish, cross-stitch, read romance novels, watch hummingbirds, and attend garage sales. She was an excellent artist and was very creative and crafty. Her kids never had a store-bought Halloween costume or a boring holiday. Up until the end, she never missed a pumpkin carving, egg coloring or Christmas morning. She was a very hands-on mother and grandmother. Carol was the main ravioli maker, using her father’s recipe, at her family’s annual “Ravioli Day,” where they made hundreds of handmade raviolis for the holidays.
Her favorite pie was coconut custard and she loved crumb buns and the color purple. She was so beautiful, even up until the day she died.
Carol leaves an enormous hole in her family’s lives. The way she died was so unlike the way she lived: She slipped away in her sleep, silently. There is a quote by Thomas R. Marshall about Teddy Roosevelt that sums Carol’s death up perfectly: “Death had to take him in his sleep, for if he was awake there’d have been a fight.”
Visitation was July 16 at John F. Pfleger Funeral Home, Middletown. Funeral services were private.
The article originally appeared in the July 24 – 30, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
