Carol Paulin Obituary

Carol Marie Paulin was born on Feb 4,1941 and died peacefully at home on July 12, 2025. She was born and raised in Union Beach, NJ, the youngest child of Alexander and Marie Provina, but lived in Belford for 60 years. She graduated from Keyport High School and in 1960 married the love of her life, Leonard Paulin, who she met at a Halloween costume party when they were both 14. September 24, 2025 would have been their 65th wedding anniversary. She had three children, Joy Gamache (husband, Robert Gamache), Jill Paulin, and Leonard Paulin, Jr (wife, Kathleen Paulin) and 6 grandchildren. Oldest to youngest: Charles Bayham III, Leonard Paulin, Jr, Daniel Paulin, Amber Bayham, Matthew Paulin and Jenna Paulin. She had several cousins, 2 nieces and 2 nephews, including her niece Robin Bausback (husband, Brian) who she was especially close to and loved dearly and she had many good friends and neighbors. She loved the family pups as they were members of our family.

She was a long-time member of the Realtor Million Dollar club, and even worked remotely from home until the end, loving every minute of it. She was a member of St. Mary's parish, New Monmouth, and served on the Ladies Auxiliary. She loved people and loved to talk. She was warm and friendly to every person she spoke to. Her nickname was "Baby Carol" because she had a childlike enthusiasm and took such joy in everything she did.

Carol 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. She was fiery and funny, larger than life, a firecracker and very personable, and 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. She loved Dolly Parton, and got to see her in concert and went to Dolly Land, one of her dreams. She loved to travel, read, fish, cross stitch, read romance novels, humming birds, and 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. She was the main ravioli maker, using her father's recipe, at her family's annual "Ravioli Day", where they made hundreds of handmade ravioli for the holidays. Her favorite pie was coconut custard and crumb buns, and she loved the color purple the most. She was so beautiful, even up until the day she left us.

We were all so blessed to have had her in our lives. She leaves an enormous hole that can never be filled. She will be remembered every minute, every day for the rest of our lives, until we are all back together again. The way she left us was so unlike the way she lived. She slipped away in her sleep, silently. There is a quote about Teddie Rosevelt that sums her death up perfectly: "Death had to take him in his sleep, for if he was awake there'd have been a fight." - Thomas R. Marshall

Visitation will be Wednesday, July 16, 2025 from 6-9 pm at John F. Pfleger Funeral Home 115 Tindall Rd., Middletown. Funeral services will be held privately.