Carol Jean Van Schaick, 81-years-old, of Babylon, NY, passed away on October 15th, 2023, surrounded by her loving family. Carol was born on December 23rd, 1941, to Francis and Jeanne McGahren in Brooklyn, NY where she lived until her family moved to West Islip. After Carol graduated from high school in Seton Hall, she went on to receive a BA from SUNY Oneonta and an M.Ed. from Queens College. Carol began her career as a kindergarten teacher in West Islip where she continued her passion as an educator for the next 39 years. “Mrs. Van Schaick” was known for her bright orange Stingray that she drove each day as well as her love for instilling the joy of music in her students as she sang and played the piano for them each morning. In 1965, Carol married Robert Van Schaick and moved to a lovely home on the water in Babylon Village where she raised her three girls. She was a devoted wife, an empowering mother, a strong-willed woman, and forever determined to see her family and friends succeed in life. As a pillar in the community, Carol was an active parishioner at St. Joseph’s Church in Babylon where she was married in 1965, volunteered at the thrift shop for twenty years, taught catechism, brought food to those in need, and was always first to offer a helping hand. She was a member of the Babylon Beautification Society, the Babylon Booster Club, the West Islip Teachers Association, and organized countless dinner parties, trips to Broadway plays, and family road trips with her sister, Gail, and their children.

In 2002, when Carol retired from teaching, she turned her attention to spending more time with her grandchildren, traveling around the globe with her countless friends, reading and relaxing on the boat in Fire Island, and serving her community. Carol’s spirit lives on through her three daughters, Julie Ann (Keith Comer), Vicki (Thomas Brady), Christine (Michael Conti) and her sister, Gail O’Donnell as well as her seven grandchildren, Robert, Allison, Christopher, Rachael, Addison, Alexander, and Lauren. Services will be held Friday, October 20th from 3:00 PM until 8:00 PM at the Fredrick J. Chapey & Sons Funeral Home, 1225 Montauk Highway, West Islip, NY. Celebration of the Liturgy of Christian Burial will be held at 9:30 AM on Saturday, October 21st at St. Joseph’s R.C. Church in Babylon Village. Interment to follow at St. Charles Cemetery in Farmingdale.