Carol Jean Salzer (Sanders) of Santa Barbara went to heaven on April 29, 2026, at the age of 91, just shy of her 92nd birthday.
Carol was born on May 5, 1934, in Willington, Ohio, to a large rural farm family. She was the seventh child of Floyd and Leora (Higley) Sanders.
Carol’s mother died when Carol was 1½ years old. Carol’s older sisters took care of her until age eight when Carol went to live in an orphanage in Oberlin, Ohio. She had many friends and playmates at the orphanage.
At 12 years old Carol went to live with Donna and Harry Bye in Parma, Ohio, where she grew up with Betty, their adopted daughter.
In 1952, Carol met Donald Salzer at his high school prom. Carol and Don married in 1953. Together they raised three sons. Carol was a devoted wife and mother.
As a child she began her lifelong love of sewing. She began with sewing dresses for her dolls and progressed to sewing her own skirts, dresses and blouses, in addition to her high school prom dress and high school graduation dress. She continued sewing into adulthood, making clothes for herself and her sons.
Carol was known for designing and sewing Christmas gifts and Christmas tree ornaments for family and friends.
In 1995 she began to make one-of-a-kind Christmas stockings that were filled with toys and given to seriously ill children through Hospice and the VNA. She continued this practice for many years and was featured in the Santa Barbara News-Press. On Christmas Day 2007, she was again featured in the News-Press for her contribution of homemade Christmas stockings sent to soldiers in Iraq.
Carol attended Santa Barbara City College and graduated with a degree in Early Childhood Education after discovering her knack for teaching young children as a Sunday School teacher. She spent several years as a preschool teacher and then director at Saint Mark Preschool.
In the early 1980s Carol moved on to the corporate world and began work as executive secretary to the general manager at EG&G, a government defense contractor. She was later promoted to administrator in charge of travel arrangements for company employees. In that role she had the opportunity to visit the Nevada Nuclear Test Site outside Las Vegas, an experience she never forgot.
In addition to using her creativity in service of others, Carol served her community through political education. She was vice-president/membership chairman of W.O.R.D. (Women Organized in the Right Direction – CA Republican Women Federated).
She also was a member and speaker coordinator of the Santa Barbara Republican Club (now Santa Barbara Conservative Republicans) for many years.
Carol was a member of Grace Church, and in later years Community Covenant Church of Goleta where she was active in various ministries.
Carol lived a life of love and service to her family, friends, church and community. She will be greatly missed by all.
Special thanks to Carol’s long-time caregiver Isabella for her many years of loving care and devotion.
Carol is survived by her husband Donald; sons Dale, James and Robert; and sister-in-law Jeannette Ponyicky and her children.
A Celebration of Life will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 13 at Community Covenant Church of Goleta, 5070 Cathedral Oaks Road.
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me will live, even though they die.” — John 11:25.
Contributions in Carol’s memory may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital .