Carol Jackson Schaffer

Carol Jackson Schaffer passed away on August 24, 2024, at her home in Silver Spring, MD. Born in Pittsburgh, PA, on November 25, 1943, Carol grew up in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood with her mother Ruth, older sister Peggy, and her beloved father, Alexander Jackson.

From an early age, Carol followed her own path. Her father was an engineer in the steel industry and from him, Carol inherited a comfort working with her hands, taking on pursuits like household carpentry, plumbing and electrical work.

She graduated from Wellesley Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in Mathematics in 1965 and moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts to work at IBM on some of the earliest models of computers.

In 1967, she married William Schaffer, and they moved to Washington, DC that same year. Though the marriage didn't last, it did result in two wonderful children: Timothy and Alexandra. The greatest tragedy of Carol's life was losing Timothy to a household accident in 2014.

Rejecting more lucrative paths, she was drawn to non-profit work, and in 1977 she took a job at Catholic University's computer center, finding tremendous satisfaction in the work. Her agile mind played a key role in helping the department evolve with the rapidly changing technology and she was nurtured by the sense of teamwork she found with her colleagues. She flourished at CUA for over 35 years until her retirement in 2012.

She began dating Randy Swisher in 1984. Their two daughters, Alexandra and Cena –best friends in kindergarten at Peabody School on Capitol Hill–brought them together. Within two weeks of their first date, they were a committed couple, moving together to Silver Spring in 1989. They were in no hurry to marry, but in 2001 finally tied the knot.

Carol savored life. From admiring rock formations in the Grand Canyon to pausing to take in a family of ducks being helped across a road, she took the time to appreciate the beauty of the moment and the people who were important to her.

Being active nourished her. Her neighborhood knew her as the "running woman" since a long jog in Woodside Park was how she "woke up" every morning. Jazzercise provided her with a welcoming community; it was an important part of her life. Along with Randy, she was a bicycle commuter for many years. They also enjoyed many national and international biking and hiking vacations together, going to more than 15 countries around the globe.

In 2014 Carol was diagnosed with multiple myeloma (she would frequently bicycle to her chemo appointments). Though that was knocked into remission by a stem cell transplant in 2015, it recurred in late 2023. She developed myelodysplastic syndrome earlier this year, which ultimately led to her death.

She is survived by her husband Randy Swisher, daughter Alexandra Schaffer in Los Angeles, stepdaughter Cena Swisher Hooper and her husband Tom and granddaughter Emma, all in Arlington, Virginia; daughter-in-law Eser Ozdeger of Chevy Chase and her son Taylan in New York City, and sister Peggy Sweeney in Oviedo, Spain.

A memorial is scheduled for October 21, 2024. In lieu of flowers, donations in Carol's memory should be made to the Washington Area Bicyclist Association, waba.org/carolschaffer