Carol Ann (Fritch) Romig, 76, most recently of Shrewsbury, formerly of Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, died March 6, 2021, from complications related to Parkinson’s disease.
Carol was born Jan. 16, 1945, in Allentown, Pennsylvania, the oldest child of Harold J. and Marie (DeLong) Fritch. She grew up in Kutztown and Topton, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Brandywine Heights Area High School in 1962. It was there she met her husband, Timothy. She attended Muhlenberg College before graduating from Kutztown State College (now Kutztown University) in 1966 with a degree in education.
Carol began her career teaching high school English at her alma mater and, while she changed professions after raising children, the English teacher never left her; pity the person who used “I” instead of “me” or “went” instead of “gone” in front of her.
Carol and Tim spent a few years in Kansas and Texas before returning to their roots to settle in Mertztown, Pennsylvania, in an old stone farmhouse. With two young children in a house with no indoor plumbing, they quickly became adept DIYers. Carol reveled in her children’s successes, dabbled in local news reporting and served as president of the school board. Always musically inclined – she got to know Tim well during a high school summer band camp where they both played clarinet – she even taught piano lessons for a few years.
She also enjoyed entertaining family and friends; Carol and Tim belonged to a gourmet club with other couples, meeting monthly to eat and drink, and they often hosted students from Muhlenberg College where Tim worked for many years. Many of those students remained lifelong friends.
After her children became self-sufficient, Carol went to work for H&R Block part time, almost on a whim, and took to accounting like a fish to water. She eventually worked for Coyne & McLean Chartered in Towson, Maryland, where they lived for four years, Ernst & Young in Reading, Philadelphia and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and retired from Reinsel and Company (now RKL) in Reading. Carol’s specialty was nonprofits and she had many well-known clients.
Carol loved reading and watching good, old-fashioned horror movies. She was master of the self-deprecating Christmas letter; those (not being roasted) looked forward to the joy and mirth her annual missive brought. She eagerly anticipated the family’s annual vacation to Ocean City which continued until 2019. With a good book, a comfortable chair, the sun and the waves, she could spend the entire day at the beach.
Carol was predeceased by her son, Todd Lynn Romig, in 1974 and by her parents. She is survived by her husband of 57 years, Timothy Romig; daughter and son-in-law Elizabeth and Kevin Wulfhorst of Tinton Falls; son and daughter-in-law Joshua Romig and Karin Mallett of Leesport, Pennsylvania; and beloved grandchildren Emma Wulfhorst of Bozeman, Montana, and Noah, Isabella and Maxwell Romig of Leesport, Pennsylvania. She is also survived by her sister-in-law Phyllis Fenstermacher, niece Kay Brady and nephews Patrick and Peter Fenstermacher and their families, whom she adored.
The family thanks the staff at The Brandywine at the Sycamore and Grace Hospice for the love, respect and kindness shown to Carol the past few months. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Carol’s memory to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research at michaeljfox.org/donate.
A memorial service and interment will take place in Pennsylvania this summer when more people are vaccinated and COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. Jersey Shore Cremation Services is handling the arrangements.
The article originally appeared in the March 11 – 17, 2021 print edition of The Two River Times.
