Carolyn was born on July 14,1931, a 2nd generation Santa Barbarian she grew up on the westside with her brother, sister, and parents. As a young teenager she packed lemons in Goleta, accompanied her father delivering vegetables as far north as Santa Maria. She would also fish off Stearns Wharf with her father. She graduated from Santa Barbara High School in 1949 and shortly after married Calvin Perry “CP” Brooks from Oklahoma on Jan.1st 1950. Carolyn and Perry had three children Karen, Robin “Robbie”, and Brett Brooks, they divorced in 1968.She worked at JC Penny’s on State Street in the lingerie department for 25 years and could tell just by looking at you what size undergarments you wore. Carolyn loved to play poker in her back room until the wee hours of the night. She also had a love for BINGO and would play with her friends Mary Lou & Duann. She outlived most of her friends and missed them dearly.Carolyn’s real passion was being a mom and a grandma. Many who knew her, knew her as “Grandma.” Grandma welcomed everyone into her home and housed many extended friends and family members over the years. A lifetime of loved ones stopping by her home on Santa Catalina, taking naps on her couch, BBQs and dodgeball games in her backyard, and a big, loud family was Carolyn’s normal. Living so close to Leadbetter Beach and Shoreline Park made her home the perfect place to park for the summertime days at the beach, which always ended with family BBQ’s in her backyard. She always had a fridge full of favorites and her family joked that it was automatic to go straight to the fridge when they got to Grandma’s house. She doted on her 6 grandkids, who spent many school breaks and overnights at “camp grandma.”Carolyn loved the Lakers and Kobe Bryant and was a dedicated fan watching all their games and coaching (yelling) at the television from her living room. While her love of Kobe was one of her biggest, Elvis Presley was her forever love. She couldn’t help but dance the second Elvis came on. Even in her last days we could still get a toe tap or some jazz hands by playing Elvis. She loved a glass of wine in the evening, while watching game shows or Forrest Gump, with her faithful dog Kalani by her side. Kalani was the best at keeping the boogie man away.Carolyn was so proud of her home on Santa Catalina which she bought in 1950. She moved to Casa Linda in December of 2019 where she lived until her final weeks. She spent her finals days back on “the Mesa” in her son’s home surrounded by family.Preceded in death by her parents Angela Ronconi & Manuel Elizalde, siblings Freddie Elizalde & Louise Butterfield and her daughter Karen Beaudette. She will be greatly missed and remembered by her sons Robbie (Scotti) & Brett (Shannon), grandchildren, great-grandchildren & many more.In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to Central Coast Home Health & Hospice.
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2024-09-08 02:37:21