Carolyn Helen Mears

Carolyn Helen Mears

• Carolyn Helen Mears was born on 9 May 1930.
• The following appeared on 21 March 1954 in The Philadelphia Inquirer: Saturday, March 27, Wedding -- Miss Carolyn Helen Mears, daughter of mr. and Mrs. Edward W. Mears, of Merion, to Lt. (JG) Tom Irby Kolstad, USN, son of Mr. and Mrs. Chester Luckett Kolstad, of Palestine, Tex., at 4 oclock in the Bala-Cynwyd Methodist Church.
• She married Thomas Irby Kolstad, son of Chester Luckett Kolstad and Carrie Cochrane Irby, on 27 March 1954 in Bala-Cynwyd, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, at the Bala-Cynwyd Methodist Church, with the Rev. Dr. Franklin Duncombe officiating.
• The following appeared on 29 March 1954 in The Philadelphia Inquirer: Several smart weddings highlighted the social program of the week end, among them the marriage on Saturday of Carolyn Helen Mears, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward W. Mears, of Merion, to Lt. (j.g.) Tom Irby Kolstad, USN, son of Mr. and Mrs. Chester Luckett Kolstad, of Palestine, Texas, which took place at 4 o'clock in the Bala-Cynwyd Methodist Church. The Rev. Dr. Franklin Duncombe officiated.
       The bride, who was given in marriage by her father, wore a gown of ivory tone satin. . .
       Mrs. Paul J. Kiely, of Ithaca, acted as matron of honor and the bridesmaids were Mrs. Andrew W. Mathieson, Jane Miller, Mrs. Robert Parrish and Mrs. Robert E. Wagner. The attendants wore dresses of sea green crystalline. . .
  [LTABL] Lt. (j.g.) Andrew W. Mathieson, USNR, served as best man and ushers were Lt. Comdr. William Curtis Howard, USN; Lt. (j.g.) Myron E. Leslie, USN; Lt (j.g.) John S. Frerichs, USN, and Lt. (j.g.) David E. Willauer, USNR.
       A reception at the Merion Golf Club followed the ceremony.
       The couple will spend their honeymoon at The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, W. Va.
• Her husband Thomas Irby Kolstad became a widower at her death.
• Carolyn Helen Mears died on 30 May 2009 at age 79.
• She was interred.
• The following appeared on 19 May 2010 in the Palestine Herald-Press: Capt. Tom I. Kolstad, USN (retired) passed away in his sleep on Jan. 16, 2010 at his home in Redmond, Ore. Born in Palestine, Texas. on July 13, 1928, Capt. Kolstad attended the U.S. Naval Academy and enjoyed a successful 25 year Naval career. Capt. Kolstad served two deployments in Vietnam as well as being stationed in a variety of ports including Bellingham, Wa., Long Beach, Calif., Honolulu, Hawaii and the Bureau of Naval Personnel in Washington, DC. After retiring from the Navy in 1975, Capt. Kolstad entered the seminary and became an ordained minister for the Assemblies of God. He served on the staff of First Assembly of God, Phyllis Place in San Diego, Calif., until retiring to Portland, Ore. with his wife, Carolyn, in 1994.
       His wife of 53 years, Carolyn Mears Kolstad, preceded him in death on May 30, 2009. Capt. Kolstad was also preceded by his parents, Luckett and Carrie Kolstad; sisters, Sarah Kolstad Glass and Freddie Louise Kolstad Hopgood.
       He is survived by his brother, Luckett Kolstad of Palestine; and children, Tom Kolstad Jr., of Las Vegas, Nev., Elizabeth Leeberg of Redmond, Ore. and Linda Anthony of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.
        The Rev. Ted Welty of St. Philip's Episcopal Church will conduct a graveside service with military honors at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 22, at the East Hill Cemetery. The family welcomes donations to The American Health Assistance Foundation.

• Last Edited: 17 Mar 2015