Carol Jean Ninteman

Our mom passed away at her home peacefully in her sleep surrounded by family and her caregiver of over three years. She was 87. She will be missed and brought much joy to family and friends. Carol was a Ranch resident since 1968.Carol was born in Palo Alto to Jean Manders and Willard B. Treadwell, both of San Francisco. She was educated at many schools, owing to her parent's divorce, such as Miss Hamlin's in San Francisco, Marlborough in Los Angeles and Mayfield in Pasadena. Carol spent several years in Alaska with her grandparents during World War II and was involved in a shipwreck leaving Alaska in 1946 for the "lower 48." Something that made her not a big fan of cruises in her later years. For college, Carol attended Pine Manor "back east" and then returned to take classes at the University of Southern California, where she met our dad William Magoffin. Carol and "Will" Magoffin were married in 1958 and soon started a family, first in Piedmont in northern California and then moving to Rancho Santa Fe in 1968 for better schools, warmer weather and just all around better everything. Once settled in Rancho Santa Fe, Carol was the consummate mom, homemaker and entertainer. Friends often remarked about her good cooking. She found time for volunteer work with various local organizations such as The Junior League, she was a sustainer, Country Friends and their famous annual fashion show, The Garden Club and The Rancho Santa Fe Book Club. Carol was active in her church, first at being on the Vestry at St. Peters, Del Mar and then with The Women of Nativity at the Church of the Nativity in Rancho Santa Fe. Carol played tennis with her many friends although not competitively as did all us kids, one of the benefits of growing up next to the Rancho Santa Fe Tennis Courts.Widowed in 1985 at age 48, Carol continued to pursue her volunteer work and this included flower arranging. She arranged flowers for weddings and party table center pieces. She was known for making things pretty and had a good eye for design. Often during a movie or TV show she would remark about the d‚cor or architecture of the particular scene, not really caring much about the plot. Her gardener gave her the nickname "Mrs. Transplant" because she often had him move plants and shrubs, thus rearranging her garden.After fifteen years as a widow Carol met Dean Ninteman and they were married in 2000. This created kind of a second family as we Magoffin kids were brought together with Dean's three kids. Carol's hospitality and cooking were instrumental here and nothing was ever catered, ever. Carol and Dean enjoyed many Ranch social events and travelled a little. This second marriage was a real blessing for Carol as it was for Dean. They were regular parishioners of Nativity Catholic Church.Carol was a soft lady who was not a "power woman" but rather a woman of strong faith and inner fortitude I attribute this to several of the trials of her early life: parent's divorce, ship wreck, losing several close relatives during World War II. We owe our parents our lives and work ethic and our mom was big on each of us doing well in school and getting jobs during vacations, etc.Carol is survived by her three children Steve Magoffin, Anne Magoffin, and Jeanne Keith, son in law Dana Keith, grandchildren Ryan Keith, Cameron Keith and brother Robert Day. There will be a small, private family service. Please donate to your favorite charity.