Carol Kimball, keeper of Groton's memory, dies at 94: Kimball brought Groton history to life.

Kimball, Carol W.

Carol Kimball, memories after her death

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8: Communication Artifact

Documentary Artifact

The Day

New London, CT

06/09/2010

Carol W. Kimball

Historian, author, columnist, teacher, Carol W. Kimball, considered by many to be the definitive source on the history of Groton and the shorelines, died Tuesday morning. She was 94. "She was the collective memory of our town, " said Hali Keeler, director of the Bill Memorial Library in Groton. Carol lived the last year of her life at the Fairview Odd Fellows Home, where she was on dialysis. She stepped down from her post as town historian of Groton - which she had held since 1985 - last fall. Carol began her historical work in the 1970s while a teacher at Mystic Academy in Groton, said Marilyn Comrie, with whom Carol had written several books and worked on historical projects. Jim Streeter, the mayor of the town of Groton and who worked closely with Kimball on historical topics said, "She was my mentor, as far as local history is concerned". He co-wrote several books on the town's history with Kimball and dedicated his most recent book, "Groton: Historical Bits and Pieces," to her. She wrote a weekly column for The Day about historical topics. Timothy Dwyer, The Day's executive editor, said Kimball worked to illuminate the stories that made the area what it is today. Kenton Robinson, her editor at The Day for the past two years said, "Not only did her work entertain and inform, it motivated other writers and historians to hone their own craft". Robinson said, "She had the gift of being able to convey [the past] …with warmth and humor in a frank, conversational style. When you read one of her columns, time telescoped, and you could feel the ghosts of the past walking among us, still very much alive." Harry Watson, a town councilor and the former mayor of Groton, said Kimball was always willing to share a story about the town's history. They both attended Union Baptist Church in Mystic. He said, "Her mind was so sharp…she was a wonderful person to sit down and listen to…". Bill Peterson, a former Mystic Seaport curator, said, "She was always happy to share her knowledge - she was an inspiration in that regard. She's going to be sorely missed, especially in the local historian community." Carol was born May 18, 1916 in New London, daughter of Harry R. and Barbara (Cornet) Williams of Quaker Hill. She grew up in Quaker Hill and graduated from Quaker Hill School and Chapman Technical High in New London, and then chose a career in teaching, graduating in 1936 from Willimantic State Normal School, now Eastern Connecticut State University. Armed with a child-centered "learn-by-doing" view of education instead of the old rote-memory approach, she taught for three years in the Scotland, Conn., elementary school before marrying and moving to Mystic where she volunteered to assist Carl Cutler at Mystic Seaport before returning to teaching in 1948 at Fort Hill School in Groton. Two years later, S.B. Butler, then Groton superintendent of schools, offered Carol a job at Mystic Academy, teaching third grade. This she did for several decades, mainly at S.B. Butler School, until she retired. In 1950 Carol began to discover and share local history beginning with Mystic Seaport Museum programs and Eastern Connecticut State University extension courses with noted historian Eva L. Bulter [ see The Indian and Colonial Research Center at Old Mystic, Ct.]. These efforst led to authoring a school book titled "A Narrative History of Groton Connecticut, for Use in Teaching Elementary School Social Studies". An impressive series of other books, articles, and presentations on local history and weekly columns in The Day would follow. Achievements and associations she especially treasured included, founding member and honory trustee of The Indian and Colonial Research Center, Old Mystic, set up in 1965, to provide access to Eva Butler's historic research and later added Indian artifacts. Kimball was predeceased by her husband, Burton Clark Kimball whom she married June 30, 1939, and two children: Barbara Kimball, who lives in New Hampshire, and Paul (Elisa Klein) Kimball , who lives in Maryland. She leaves behind granddaughters Julia and Sarah Kimball and nephews David and Roger Williams. Private burial will be at Elm Grove Cemetery. In liew of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to The Indian and Colonial Research Center, PO Box 525, Old Mystic, CT 06372.

Kimball, Carol W., dies at 94
Keeler, Hali
Comrie, Marilyn
Streeter, Jim, former Mayor of Groton
Dwyer, Tomothy, The Day's executive editor
Robinson, Kenton, editor at The Day
Cutler, Carl
Watson, Harry, Groton town councilor & former mayor
Peterson, Billl, former Mystic Seaport curator
Kimball, Burton Clark (Carol's husband)
Kimball, Barbara (Carol's daughter)
Kimball, Paul (Carol's son)
Williams, Harry R. (Carol's Father)
Williams, Barbara (Cornet) (Carol's Mother)
Butler, S. B., Groton superintendent of schools
Butler, Eva L., Historian and the ICRC
Williams, Euell (Carol's brother)
Kimball, Elisa Klein and Paul
Kimball, Julia (Carol's granddaughter)
Kimball, Sarah (Carol's granddaughter)
Williams, David (Carol's nephew)
Williams, Roger (Carol's nephew)

Carol Kimball, memories after her death