Elsie Carolyn DeHaven Dodds, 88 years, of Brookfield, Wisconsin, peacefully met her heavenly father on Wednesday, December 10th, 2025.Carolyn was born in Rural Retreat, Virginia, to Elsie Mae Kinzer and Foy Elmer DeHaven (both from southwest Virginia). Her father’s career as a school superintendent of the Radford School System eventually brought the family to Radford, Virginia. She grew up in a loving home surrounded by local aunts, uncles, and cousins. At the age of three, she started playing the piano by ear. As the story goes, toddler Carolyn told her famed Radford piano teacher at her first lesson “This is how I would play it!” She then set about playing the tune without any music or any lessons in her own way! She was a musician, singer, dancer, cheerleader, and tomboy (softball, field hockey). Carolyn was also active in church and Girl Scouts. Carolyn and her dance partner choreographed and performed at numerous Radford High School and local events. Her childhood best friend, Nancy St. Clair Finch, remained her dearest confidante for life. Their friendship spanned 83 years. In 5th grade, Carolyn’s mom cut their pigtails off in her kitchen! Carolyn graduated with a B.S. in Education with a major in music and a minor in English from Longwood College in Virginia.

Carolyn and Jerry met as wedding attendants of a mutual friend in the summer of 1958. Jerry, who was a medical student from Stamford, Connecticut, asked her to play the piano for him and was immediately smitten! Carolyn married Jerry, the love of her life, on June 11th, 1960. They lived in Richmond, Virginia, for two years during Jerry’s residency where she taught music in five schools and was active in community theater. They then moved to Germany for three years and lived in a German village where Jerry was a Captain in the U.S Airforce Medical Corp and Carolyn taught school. In 1965, they moved to San Francisco, California, where Jerry completed his fellowship at Stanford Hospital in Palo Alto. In 1969, the traveling duo moved to metro Milwaukee for Jerry’s career in radiology. Carolyn was active in the McDowell Music Club and the Community United Methodist Church (taught Sunday school and played piano for the children’s choir). She also played the piano for school music programs and was a Cub Scout volunteer. Together, she and Jerry enjoyed a loving, fun, and active marriage, including raising three children, world traveling, skiing, tennis, working out, gardening, and entertaining. Jerry died in 1992 and Carolyn forged on as a mother-in-law to three and grandmother to ten. Carolyn’s greatest joy was her grandchildren. As a wonderful hands-on Grandmom, she hosted sleepovers, attended sporting and theater events, played board and card games, and cooked countless meals. She took great interest in each grandchild, was curious about their lives, and played the piano and sang with each one. She was extremely proud and boastful about each grandchild.

Carolyn is preceded in death by her devoted, talented, and passionate husband of 32 years, ‘Jerry’ (Wylie Jerome Dodds); her mother, ‘Sassy’; her father, Foy; her brother, William Elmer; and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins. She is survived by her sister, Elizabeth DeHaven Nelson and children: Jennifer Knox (Jeff), Stuart Dodds (Andrea), and Liz Boelter (Rick). Her legacy includes her beloved grandchildren: Sarah Knox, Katie Knox, John Knox, Alec Dodds (Olivia), Jaren Dodds, Colden Dodds, Will Boelter (Meredith), Benny Boelter (fiancé, Kaitlin), Wylie Boelter, Freddy Boelter, and great-grandchildren: Amelia VanHout, Alora Wolf, and Louise Dodds.

Mom had the gift of remembering everyone’s birthdays, engaging all with stories about Germany and California, making her specialties of applesauce and applesauce bread, among multiple other delicious food concoctions. She reached out and helped countless people and would literally give her shirt off of her back. Who can forget the Dodd's blue, double wrap, or deep cleaning?! Carolyn continued to spread joy by entertaining her family, neighbors, and caregivers with Broadway music tunes, occasional vocals, and soft-shoe dance routines!

A private family celebration is planned for January 17th, 2026. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to: Badger Hospice Foundation, 165 S. Calhoun Road, Brookfield, WI 53005.