Carolyn Florinda Olinger

Carolyn Florinda Medina was born January 17,1948 in San Diego,

California to Carl and Clotilda Medina. She grew up in Point Loma with all

of her Portuguese family. Her Portuguese family and heritage was very

special to Carolyn. She learned to cook Portuguese dishes with her mom

and could understand most of the language although her parents never

taught her how to speak it. Carolyn was the Queen of the Portuguese

Festa annual celebration when she was 14 years old which was a great

honor for her. She made sure to carry on the Festa traditions having her

own children later in life be a part of it and then passed the honor on to her

grandchildren for the last 10 years.

Many of her cousins have special childhood memories of Carolyn. They

remember how Carolyn always knew the latest dance moves and would

teach them how to do the locomotion, the stroll, and mashed potato just to

name a few. Dancing was one of Carolyn’s favorite things to do and she

danced anytime she could. They also remember her showing them how to

style their hair. Carolyn loved to style hair and went to school to become a

beautician. She also had an extraordinary talent for making many beautiful

wedding and birthday cakes for family. She never said no to anything or

anyone. Another love of Carolyn’s was her 66 red mustang with black

leather interior. She washed and waxed her car every weekend and took

immaculate care of it. Janene remembers riding in her mustang to high

school football games together to watch Carolyn’s brother Carl play

football.

Carolyn met the love her life, Frank Olinger, in high school in 1965. When

Frank first met Carolyn he couldn’t help but notice her contagious smile and

a happiness that beamed bright. On their first date Frank and Carolyn went

to a theater to see one of her favorite movies “The Sound of Music”. When

Frank would come to see her while they were dating, Carolyn’s father

would answer the door and then immediately slam it shut. Haha. Even

though Frank did not receive a warm welcome he continued to court

Carolyn until the day she accepted his hand in marriage. Frank and

Carolyn were married on December 23, 1967.

Frank and Carolyn had 3 children: Heidi, Gretel, and Sam. Carolyn above

all else loved her family. She loved her children and never once asked for

anything in return. Some of their treasured memories as a family were

baking cakes with their mom getting to eat the frosting, camping

adventures like their tent surrounded by bears or getting rained out or

Frank lighting himself on fire, hiking all over, family game night, and

everything that fell in between. She had a way of making anything fun. She

supported each of their children through the difficult times in life and

celebrated all of their successes. She loved each of them the same but

each of them felt like the favorite. Carolyn taught her children to be honest,

treat others they way you want to be treated, and the value of family.

Although she was as sweet as could be she was no pushover. Her son,

Sam, remembers a day as a teenager when he decided to playfully start

poking her and continue poking her even after she warned him to stop.

Once she had enough she gingerly did a leg sweep on her precious little

son, haha, and took him to the ground. He found himself staring up at her

when she then calmly said, “I told you not to poke me”.

Carolyn was a beautiful person. She touched the hearts of all whom she

met and gave her love freely. Her infectious energy, positive spirit, and

unending kindness made a lasting impression on all her family and friends.

She opened her heart and home to all. Even her daughter Gretel’s dog

would run away from his own home to go to grandma’s house. She would

often find him sitting on the front porch waiting for her to get home.

One of her most favorite things was hosting family gatherings. From

birthday celebrations with her delicious and creative cakes, to Easter

brunch and egg hunts for the grandkids, to Thanksgiving and Christmas

dinners. Nothing made her happier than having all those she loved having

fun and laughing together. Even the infamous Thanksgiving when she

accidentally set the oven on fire and 911 was called, she was determined

that Thanksgiving must go on. Even trying to put out the fire herself and

saying “everything is fine”.

Carolyn also had fun times with friends and cousins too. Patti remembers

going to Christmas Parades, playing pool, and having a few drinks. Haha.

Carolyn met her lifetime best friend, Vicki Gomez, at Kempton Elementary,

her children’s school, where she worked as a teacher’s aid. Vicki and

Carolyn became friends right away. They enjoyed many special times

getting together often just for fun at Vicki’s home in Spring Valley and

making a tradition of celebrating 4th of July and St. Patrick’s Day. Vicki’s

husband, Al Gomez, was soon discovered to be a childhood friend of

Carolyn’s brother Carl. Al remembers Carolyn as a little girl always trying

to play with him and Carl.

Carolyn also worked in special education as a teacher’s aid and then as a

Quality Assurance/Assistant Administrator in skilled nursing facilities. Her

career in helping children and the elderly was important to her. She always

used to tell of the story how she got her special needs children to line up

after recess time. When she first arrived she would have to chase down

each child and bring them to the line but one day she had the idea to give

them popcorn each time they would line up on their own. Ever since that

day she would come out to a perfectly lined up class. Working in the skilled

nursing facility was more to her then managing the office and records.

Carolyn gave her love, time, and showed kindness to all of the residents.

She was very popular with the residents and as with everyone she knew

she made their life more special. She was devoted to the residents care

and happiness and is the reason she worked long and hard hours to

ensure they were being taken care of. She also made many good friends

who loved her and supported her. A few co-workers describe her as their

mentor, “little buddy”, and was like a mom to them.

Carolyn was blessed with 5 grandchildren: Courtney, Isaiah, and Leilani

Olinger, Gabriel Parks, and Tiffany Cortel. When her grandchildren came

Carolyn was over the moon. And with the marriage of Sam and Christina

she gained 2 more beautiful grandchildren, Zane and Tyler Langer. Her

time spent with her grandchildren are some of her most precious memories

of all. They enjoyed many sleepovers at grandma’s house and went on

more adventures than you can count. Recently, her daughter Gretel was

talking with her mom about their adventures and had been looking in the

100 Things to do in San Diego magazine and realized that they had gone

on almost every adventure in the magazine and more with all of the

grandkids. You couldn’t have asked for a sweeter, more energetic, fun

loving grandma. As with her own children, she made fun out of everything.

One special memory was New Year’s Eve at grandma’s. She would set up

a treat bag for every hour until midnight and they would celebrate and have

fun each hour that passed. There were no rules at grandma’s just fun and

love.

Even though Carolyn faced many challenges and difficulties in her battle

with cancer she always had a smile on her face and a laugh to go with it.

Even when she couldn’t walk as well as before she still wanted to get out of

the house and go. There was nothing that could stop her from having fun

with her family.

Today the world lost an “angel”. The positive impact she made on all those

she knew will be remembered forever. You could never forget a woman

like Carolyn. A heart of gold and a zest for life that was unmatchable.

There wasn’t a day that went by that she did not take the time to enjoy

every moment of it. So please take with you today all of your memories of

Carolyn and enjoy every moment of life.