Carol Dee Lewis Richards, 82, passed away on March 25, 2021, at St. Camillus Rehabilitation Center in Syracuse. She was raised in Cazenovia and graduated from Cazenovia High School. Carol was an avid athlete in her youth, with skiing, basketball, field hockey and tennis being some of her favorites. After high school, she attended Ithaca College, and graduated in 1961 with a Bachelor of Science degree in physical therapy-cum laude. She was also a recipient of the Who’s Who Among Students award and was an alumni of Pi Theta Phi. Carol became a licensed physical therapist in 1968, which led her on a journey from New York to Connecticut to California and back to Cazenovia, where she eventually retired. Carol held many positions during her 40-plus year career. She worked as staff, supervisor, and director of PT at hospitals and skilled nursing facilities, and upon returning to Cazenovia was a home care therapist.
Her friend Kathy said one of Carol’s greatest gifts to others was her wonderful, outrageous, witty and snarky sense of humor, and ability to find humor in all aspects of life which lightened even the darkest moments. She got more effort out of her patients using that humor, than any other therapist Kathy had ever seen.
Carol loved all kinds of animals and spared no expense feeding and sheltering her indoor and outdoor furry friends. Over the years, many different types of animals would frequent her property, including stray cats, numerous birds, and the (not so) occasional skunk or raccoon. She was also known for giving her pets unusual names based on their features; Gin and Tonic, Bandit, Tidbit, Splash, and her latest cat, Gingersnap to name a few. Some of her favorite hobbies included reading, watching old movies and sports, traveling the world and a daily cocktail (or two.)
She was predeceased in death by her parents Alfred “Brud” Huntington Lewis and Roberta “Bobby” Ceratt Lewis of Cazenovia, her sister Robin Lee Guerdan Lewis (Ed) of Monroeville, PA, her aunt Barbara Carstairs Lewis of Fayetteville, and her aunt Caroline “Carol” Everson Lewis Dixon (Robert) of Citrus Springs, FL.
Carol is survived by her two nieces, Tracy Deen (Tom “D”) and Audrey Petrick (Joe “Junnie”), longtime friends Kathy Bice, Chris Dascher, Marianne Tierney and many other special friends including her caregivers.
Family and friends will be holding a private celebration of life. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Humane Society in honor of Carol’s love for animals. To leave a message of sympathy for Carol’s family, please visit michaelebrownfuneralservices.com.
