Carol Jean Merrill, 66, of Goleta, passed away on September 25, 2018 at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, CA.
Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, March 23, 2019 at the Goleta Presbyterian Church. Rev. Stephen Jacobsen officiating. The burial will be a private scattering of her cremated ashes at sea by the family, at a later date.
Carol was born at the Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, IN to John Charles and Betty Jane Merrill, on October 26, 1951. She went to school at Walter Knott Elementary School in Buena Park, CA, then Highland View Elementary School, Eastern Jr. High, and Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, MD. Carol received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Maryland, at College Park. Carol was married to and later divorced from Charles Fletcher. During her career, she held a number jobs including being a paralegal in Washington DC, and an Advertising Account Manager for the Contra Costa Times Newspaper, San Francisco Bay Area, CA.
Her hobbies and activities included playing the cello, flying (private pilot), sailing, which involved an extended trip in and around the south sea islands including New Zealand and Western Samoa, and watching old movies.
She is preceded in death by her mother, Betty Jane (Bradburn) Merrill.
Carol is survived by her boyfriend, Glenn Golis; sisters, Cathy Ann Suk and Lori Beth Merrill; brothers, David Bruce and Michael James Merrill; Father, John Charles Merrill; and Aunt, Margaret Sibson.
Carol will be remembered for her fun loving, adventurous, kind, and generous spirit, who was always ready to celebrate life. Memorials may be given to The Sea Turtle Conservancy: https://conserveturtles.org/
