Machias and Swans Island, ME
Carolyn E. Jellison, 79, died from complication from advanced stages of pancreatic cancer on January 3, 2012 at the Downeast Community Hospital, Machias, ME. Her husband, Eugene “Gene” A. Jellison who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease for more than a decade then died on March 8, 2012.
She was born February 20, 1932 the daughter of Paul J. and Vashti (Cope) Bruning in Scarsdale, New York. Carolyn’s childhood and formative years were spent living in that suburban New York community where she attended the Scarsdale public schools. It was during these early years that she discovered a deep and abiding affection for music and the theater. As a teenager she showed considerable talent as a pianist and, although she never studied voice professionally, had a natural singing talent, a good ear, and a pure soprano voice. She performed as a soloist in numerous high schools musical productions, including Handel’s “Messiah”.
Upon her graduation from high school in 1950, Carolyn attended Colby College in Waterville, ME where her artistic interests broadened to include drama. She performed in many colleges dramatic productions and it was while attending Colby that she met and fell in love with Gene Jellison who was a teaching assistant in the drama department. The two were married in March 1955 in Los Angeles, CA.
After their wedding the Jellisons moved back to New York for two years where Gene pursued a course of graduate study at Columbia University. They were drawn back to the west coast in the late 1950’s, however, where Gene taught English and Drama at Santa Monica High School and Carolyn and Gene raised their family. Each summer, during the long school vacation, the family made the long cross country trek from their home in bustling Los Angeles to spend the summer holiday in the bucolic and peaceful setting of Swans Island where Gene had spent his boyhood. Thoughout these many years the Jellisons were active in community theater productions, Gene as a director, Carolyn as an actress. Even after retirement the couples organized and were instrumental in maintaining active community theater groups both on Swans Island, ME and in Machias, ME, the community they adopted after returning to the east coast.
She is survived by her five children, Katherine Rosenfeld, of Arlington, MA, Robin Jellison, of Bangor, ME, Christina (Rilla) Jellison, of Voorhees, New Jersey, Francesca Jellison, of Portland, ME and Paul Jellison, of Machias and Swans Island, ME; one grandson, Benjamin Rosenfeld, of Cambridge, MA.
A Service of Remembrance and family gathering commemorating, Carolyn and Gene’s lives will be held 1pm, Sunday, June 10, 2012 at their summer cottage on Swans Island, ME. The ferry leaves the dock in Bass Harbor, ME at 10:30am.
Arrangements by Jordan-Fernald, 1139 Main Street, Mt. Desert, ME. Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com