Carol Walker Cruzen

February 22, 1930 - November 24, 2022

Carol, age 92, has passed away in Sunnyvale, California. She was born to Byron and Ann (Hanson) Walker in Los Angeles. She married her husband Robert Cruzen in 1955, sharing 65 years together until his passing in 2020.

Carol had many interests and led a full and active life. Educated as a teacher, she was an active community volunteer, educator, and organizer becoming involved in all her children's activities. Raised in San Marino, she was an only child but both her parents came from large families and holidays were full of functions shared with aunts, uncles, and many cousins. Carol remained close with her cousins throughout her life, enjoying documenting family history and sharing family stories with those interested in the past generations.

Growing up Carol played the accordion and performed at local events. In high school, she worked as an usher at the historic Pasadena Playhouse enjoying many theatrical performances. Her participation in Girl Scouts influenced her entire life. From a Brownie to a Mariner in high school, scouting fostered her interest in singing, nature, camping, hiking, leadership, community service, and youth programs. In college she spent summers as camp counselor 'Smokey' at Singing Pines Girl Scout Camp in the San Gabriel Mountains, the same camp she attended in her youth. Fifty years later she and Bob would return to Singing Pines to attend the camp's closing event in 2000. As an adult, Carol remained active in Girl Scouts as a troop leader, neighborhood troop organizer and finally neighborhood chairman, coordinating 27 troops within the City of Santa Clara and parts of Sunnyvale.

Carol graduated from Whittier College in 1952. At Whittier she was a member of the Ionian Society and Delta Phi Upsilon fraternity for early childhood education and earned an elementary teaching credential. After graduation, she taught third grade at John Marshall Elementary School, South San Gabriel and later at Fair Oaks School, Redwood City.

In 1955 Bob and Carol were married after he returned from two years in Germany with the Air National Guard. They made their home in Mountain View and then settled in Sunnyvale where they lived for the next 64 years, becoming active in their neighborhood and community. Carol was a charter member, first treasurer and original teacher of the Laurelwood Preschool, which is still operational today. In 1971, the Laurelwood PTA awarded Carol the Honorary Service Award for her many years of volunteer work with the Laurelwood Preschool and the Girl Scouts. Carol returned to education as an aide teaching in the math, reading, and computer lab at Bracher Elementary School in Santa Clara, retiring in 1995.

An avid reader, mysteries were her favorite. She enjoyed writing, genealogy, gardening, sewing, travel and natural history. Family trips to the Sierras were common, camping, backpacking and swimming in the summers, skiing in the winters. Later, Carol and Bob enjoyed dancing in a square dance club for over 20 years. In retirement, Carol and Bob frequently traveled and were commonly spotted in the bleachers, in the audience, on the sidelines or the pool deck attending their grandsons' events. Even later in life Carol enjoyed good health remaining independent and sharp. She looked forward to watching the Niners games, her weekly trip to the library, and tending her garden.

Carol is survived by her daughter Lyn (Rob) Lavery of Windsor and son Rich (Gina) Cruzen of Fremont; and two grandsons. She is preceded in death by her parents and her husband Bob.

Skylawn Funeral Home