Carol Lynn Palm

Carol Lynn Palm died March 30th in her own home after days of being showered with love, laughter, and incredible kindness. She recently celebrated her 79th birthday.

Carol was an incredibly strong person. She lost her beloved husband, Paul R. Palm, Jr. in 1979. Carol then navigated life as sole caregiver and provider for four children. Life was never without its struggle and yet still she found ways to be incredibly invested in her children, 15 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. She was also deeply committed to and supported by her other "families", including the good people of St. Ignatius Loyola Church and her St. Joseph's School of Nursing friends.

Carol's life was a testament to living Jesus and being in service to others. Even as her children were young, she would serve as the "general" of volunteer-driven spaghetti dinners held at the Wernersville Fire Company to raise funds for the Junior Women's Club. When the Irish lady wasn't making homemade spaghetti sauce, she could be found making pizzas as another way to support her community or baking famous brownies for school functions.

Her talents, as a baker and cook, were in addition to her knitting abilities. Her family takes comfort in knowing that many people will continue to pray surrounded by their prayer shawls and each Christmas personalized stockings will be hung with the memory they were knitted with love by Carol. She always ensured that people knew they mattered sending hundreds of birthday cards each year. Even in her final days, she was worried about birthday cards not yet sent in the months of March and April.

It remains a wonder that she had time to work given how busy she was volunteering and thinking of others, but she was proud of her training as a Registered Nurse working early at St. Joseph's Hospital in Reading and then at Chit-Chat (now Caron Treatment Centers) and finally at the Wernersville State Hospital. In the final stage of her career, she worked to provide quality care to patients, but also to improve working conditions as a steward of SEIU Local 668.

She never lost touch with her Easton, Pennsylvania roots having graduated from Notre Dame High School and growing up on the South Side with her now deceased parents, John R. Fagan, Sr. and Catherine (Deck) Fagan.

Carol's life book was filled with many chapters of heartache, but she always had deep faith during those tough times and never gave up hope that the next chapter would be better. She transitioned home from the hospital on her terms so that she could die, as she lived, fully embracing her own decisions, her faith and those she loved.

Carol is survived by her children, Patricia Wylezik-Pfeiffer (wife of Rob Pfeiffer III) of Bernville, Michael Palm (husband of Linda) of Wernersville, Paula Wentzel (wife of Kevin) of Wernersville and Cathleen Palm (wife of Larry Rittle) of Bernville. Carol's legacy of love spans generations and includes 15 grandchildren: Kyle, Katherine, Sarah, MacKenzie, Lindsay, Rachel, Michael, Jessica, Veronica, Molly, Emily, Joshua, Chloe, Seth and Chance. She is also survived by 5 great grandchildren: Savannah, Nathan, Levi, Oliver and a baby due in September.

She is survived by four siblings, Gail Pysher, Jack Fagan, Jr., Jane Barry and Gary Fagan.

Carol's family expresses deep appreciation for the compassionate care she received at Reading Hospital. Every person who encountered Carol, no matter their job title or duties, made her feel like her life mattered and she deserved dignity. The family is particularly grateful for Dr. Ryan Zimmerman, Dr. Caitlyn Moss, Dr. Benjamin Lloyd, and Dr. Nidrit Bohra and the fun-filled loving nurses of the ICU and T1 unit.

The family invites you to visit with them Wednesday, April 7th at a visitation to be held at the Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc., West Reading from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. On Thursday, April 8th Carol's life will be celebrated with a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Ignatius Loyola Church, 2810 St. Alban's Dr., Sinking Spring, PA 19608, beginning at 10:00 a.m. with one hour of visitation preceding the mass. Burial will be at Gethsemane Cemetery.

The family asks that donations be made in Carol's name to St. Ignatius Loyola Church at the above address or to the Reading Hospital Foundation at Post Office Box 16052, Reading, Pennsylvania 19612. Condolences may be expressed at www.kuhnfuneralhomes.com.