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Carol Schmelter Obituary
A proud daughter of The Bronx, New York, Carol was born in 1937 to Elena (Cipriani) and Charles Hagendorn. A lifelong fan of the New York Yankees, she enthusiastically passed down this devotion to her family. Carol graduated from Evander Childs High School in the Gun Hill section of The Bronx, and shortly thereafter began work at The Equitable Life Assurance Society in Manhattan. It was there that she met the love of her life and her husband of more than 61 years, Joseph Patrick Schmelter, who preceded her in death in 2021.
Carol had a passion for the arts - especially music, theater and dance. She loved to recount how she once skipped school with a friend to see her musical idol, Johnnie Ray, in concert, and of her dance troupe's accompanying Jerry Vale on stage. Her children fondly remember taking the train into Manhattan to watch her dance at Carnegie Hall. With her close friend Kathy Elflein (who passed away in 2007), Carol later co-founded the Harbor Studio of Dance in Port Jefferson Station, New York, where she taught ballet, tap and jazz/modern dance to hundreds of students before her retirement to Palm Harbor, Florida in 1986. There, she and Joe spent many happy years and made many visits to Walt Disney World resort (her other passion), even serving once as the Grand Marshals of the Magic Kingdom Parade.
Carol is survived by her sister, Audrey Jones (Mike); children, Joe Schmelter (Nancy), Tammy Schwab, and Doug Schmelter (Linda); grandchildren, Emily Rotola (John), Maggie Robertson (Eric), Jay Schwab (Elise) and Abby Schwab, Catherine Schmelter, Caroline Schmelter, Dougie Schmelter, Samantha Schmelter, and Elena Schmelter; and great-grandchildren, Hadley and Rowan Robertson, Rivanna and Jack Rotola, and Penelope Schwab.
In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made in Carol's name to the American Cancer Society. https://donate.cancer.org.
Memories and Condolences
for Carol Schmelter
3 Entries
Belinda Bullock
June 24, 2023
My favorite memory of Carol is sitting outside Grit Coffee in Old Trail with my mom in her last days when Carol came walking (briskly!) by. I asked her to join us and she made us both laugh with her funny stories of her life. Carol always had a genuine smile for everyone. So grateful to have had some time with her over the past few years.
Robert Vale
June 21, 2023
The Jerry Vale Foundation and Co express our deepest sympathies to her family and friends during this sad time. We are honored to know that Jerry was an important memory to her.
Cheryl Thomasen
June 20, 2023
She will be missed!
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