Carolyn Emrich

1916 - 2021

Carolyn Sarah (Schleicher) Emrich was born on July 3, 1916, and died on January 29, 2021, at age 104-1/2. She lived a full and active life. She was born in Catasauqua, PA, the fourth of 5 siblings, and grew up there and in Allentown. She went to Lankenau Nursing School in Philadelphia, where she earned her RN degree. After completing further training at Johns Hopkins medical school, she worked at Princeton Hospital as an operating room nurse, working six 12-hours days each week during the years of World War II.

In September 1942, she married Raymond J. Emrich, then a PhD candidate in physics at Princeton University. In 1946, Ray joined the faculty at Lehigh University, and they moved to Bethlehem, PA, where they lived for the rest of their lives, except for sabbatical years in Germany, Russia, and Turkey. Ray retired in 1987, after teaching for 41 years in the Lehigh Physics Department. During those years, Carolyn did some volunteer work in nursing and eventually concentrated on volunteer work for several community groups. She was very active in the League of Women Voters, served as president of the Bethlehem League Chapter, and wrote a history of its early years. She was also president of the Bethlehem YWCA, and served on its Executive Board and in many other capacities. She and Ray were members of Cathedral Church of the Nativity from 1946 until their deaths, and they were both active in the church.

Throughout her life Carolyn was a pathfinder for women of her generation. She was always proud of the fact that she was the first nurse at Princeton Hospital who was allowed to continue working after she married. She also took pride in being one of the first women on the Vestry of Nativity Church and also the first to serve as junior warden.

In 1998, Ray and Carolyn moved to Kirkland Village, where both of them continued their volunteer work. Ray died in 2005, and Carolyn was grateful for the support of many friends at Kirkland Village.

Carolyn was predeceased by her parents, her 4 siblings, and her husband of 63 years. She is survived by her daughters, Fredrica Smith, a retired rheumatologist, and Lynn Roller, professor emerita of Art History and Classics at the University of California, Davis, and by two grandchildren, Sarah and Charles Wagoner.

The staff and residents of Kirkland Village provided Carolyn countless opportunities to remain active for many years and, during her final years, the Kirkland nursing staff provided her with the best of skilled and compassionate care. We greatly appreciate their care for her and their support for the family.

Services will be private for the family. In lieu of flowers, Carolyn requests that memorial contributions be made to the Raymond J. Emrich Scholarship Fund, Lehigh University, 27 Memorial Drive West, Bethlehem, PA 18015. Online messages may be sent to pearsonfh.com.