Carole Chaiken

Carole C. Chaiken

June 25, 1939 - July 1, 2013

Carole C. Chaiken, 74, of Lafayette, entered peacefully into rest on July 1, 2013. A woman with a strong, determined personality and a tremendous sense of both humor and adventure, she lived every day to the fullest throughout her lifetime. She remained positive and upbeat during her 14-year battle against breast cancer.

She was born on June 25, 1939 in Evanston, Illinois as the only daughter of the late Bernadine (Baines) Dela Rosa Batugo and the late Marcellino "Mike" Dela Rosa, and grew up in Los Angeles, California from an early age when her widowed mother relocated and married her stepfather, the late Joseph Batugo.

Carole was a 1956 graduate of San Fernando High School and earned a degree in Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1960. She worked in her family's restaurant throughout her school years and later was a Juvenile Probation Officer before meeting the love of her life, Donald, and marrying on September 11, 1966 after a four-year courtship. They settled in San Leandro for 12 years before building a home in the hills of Lafayette in 1982, where she resided until her death.

In addition to being a stay-at-home mother to their three daughters, Carole was a vibrant and socially active woman. She loved, and will be missed by, her extensive network of friends, with whom she enjoyed travel, sharing her vacation home in Lake Tahoe, supporting charities, playing bridge, going to sporting events, movies and live arts performances including theatre, musicals, and ballet.

She was an avid fan and owner/breeder of thoroughbred race horses and possessed a lifelong passion for collecting two- and three-dimensional art, much of which she discovered while traveling to more than 100 countries including all seven continents and beaches worldwide.

Carole was active in the Jewish community, most notably The Jewish Community Federation of the East Bay, American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the currently-dormant Contra Costa Jewish Community Center, and Women's American ORT.

She is the co-founder of The Donald and Carole Chaiken Foundation, which supports a large number of Jewish, communal, charitable, educational, and cultural organizations. She was very involved with the renovation and expansion at Temple Isaiah in Lafayette, where she was a member for more than 30 years.

Her amazing life is celebrated by her loving family: husband of 46 years Donald Chaiken; daughters and spouses Julie Chaiken of Tiburon, CA, Dana Chaiken and Susan Roll of Rancho Santa Fe, CA, and Jennifer Chaiken and Margaret Hamilton of San Francisco, CA; and grandchildren Ethan and Zachary Chaiken Grigsby, and Adelaide and Olivia Chaiken Hamilton.

Funeral service will be held July 9 at 1pm at Temple Isaiah, 945 Risa Rd., Lafayette. A graveside service will follow, in the Tranquility section of Oakmont Memorial Park, 2099 Reliez Valley Rd, Lafayette.

Memorial donations may be made to the Cantor's Music Fund at Temple Isaiah, or a charity of your choice.