Carol Dunlop

Our beloved Carol, age 69, passed away on July 17, 2020 at home, comforted by family, after a short but mighty battle with cancer. She leaves behind her loving husband and best friend of nearly 50 years, Scott Dunlop, her adoring daughters, Molly Dunlop Robinson (Ross Robinson) and Emily Dunlop (Morgan Tucker), and her worshipping grandchildren, Trip and Maud Robinson, all of San Francisco, California. She was preceded in death by her parents, Charlie and Betty Beyer, and her brother Chris, all of Glen Ridge, New Jersey.

Carol also leaves behind a beautiful village of fans from far and wide: 5 sisters-in-law, 3 brothers-in-law, 8 nieces and nephews, friends like family, as well as former classmates, colleagues, and students – all of whom she not only adored, but had a vested interest in their happiness and well-being.

Her energy was contagious, her smile disarming (and oh-so-white), and her heart always open and ready to make anyone feel like they mattered and that she cared. She inspired so many people to be who they are and feel their best, and that fueled her being.

Carol saw beauty in differences, recognized virtuosity in quirks, and found hope in the most challenging situations. She dedicated her career to teaching children and adults with special needs, learning and behavioral differences, with over 20 of those years at Shaker Heights Middle School. She had an uncanny way of connecting with the people who needed her singular brand of caring the most, and making them feel like a disability could never hold them back from being amazing in their own way.

She was absolutely beautiful inside and out, with unmatched style, impeccable hair, and sparkling green eyes. She loved to cook, loved the sun and the water, and a good power-walk, and she could dominate the Sunday Times crossword in pen, de-scramble a word puzzle in mere seconds, or a Jeopardy board with her eyes closed. And her creativity manifested in myriad ways, from a good theme party to homemade bath bombs to personalized lunch menus with illustrations. These were not to be topped by the infamous annual themed birthday videos she and Scott made for their grandchildren.

And her life had the most incredible, diverse, dance-worthy, therapeutic, and soul-filling soundtrack. Music was omnipresent in her life, and songs mark memories from boat rides to family dinners to road trips to dance parties with her grandchildren.

Carol loved fiercely and truly saw each day as a gift. She often remarked, “How lucky am I?” recognizing the good in every day, no matter what challenges she faced. Her legacy of gratitude and selfless caring will live on in the many she touched.

A celebration of life will be scheduled in the future. The family asks that those who wish may make contributions in Carol’s name to Hospice of the Western Reserve: www.hospicewr.org or the CROW Clinic: http://www.crowclinic.org/.