Carol Kitchenka
Carol Kitchenka passed away peacefully with family by her side on January 13, 2026, following a courageous fight with Leukemia. She was born on June 24, 1939, in Lynn, Massachusetts to Edith and Charles Cain and is predeceased by her brother, Richard. She is survived by her loving sister, Nancy Baker Haney of Corinth, Maine, who was by her side always and embodied sisterhood and friendship in the most beautiful way possible.
Carol attended Lynn English High School and was a proud alumna of Sargent College at Boston University. Always the athletic one in the family, she built a career devoted to health, movement, and helping others. She taught physical education at Reading High School, instructed tennis and aerobics, and later started her own business teaching exercise to the elderly, work that reflected her lifelong commitment to wellness and care for others.
Carol shared 56 years of marriage with her beloved husband, Frank Kitchenka, who predeceased her in 2019-a partnership that stood as a testament to her strength, devotion, and deep love for family. Together, they raised their children in Foxborough, Massachusetts, and shared a love of travel, time at the lake, and being surrounded by those they loved.
After retiring, Carol moved to Naples, Maine, where she embraced lake life and found immense joy living on the water. She loved paddling off on her own in her kayak or occasionally disappearing into the blackberry bushes-a reflection of her gentle independence. Known as a beloved, selfless wanderer, Carol had a way of slipping away from gatherings without a goodbye, always out of consideration for others, never wanting to be a bother.
She and Frank later moved to Bangor, Maine to be close to her sister and enjoyed amazing friendships that carried her through the challenges of Frank's final years, from her beloved bridge group to her water aerobics companions to her All Saints Church family. In 2021, Carol relocated to Duxbury, Massachusetts to be closer to family and made great friends at the Kingsbury Club, the Center, and The Village at Duxbury.
Carol was a devoted mother to three children and a doting grandmother to six grandchildren. She was predeceased by her son Paul Kitchenka. Paul's children- Doug and Lucy Kitchenka - both live in the Boston area. She is survived by her son Bryan Kitchenka and his wife Valerie, who live in Colorado with their children Graham, Erin, and Riley. She is also survived by her daughter Julie Ferland, who lives in Duxbury, Massachusetts, with her husband Chris and their daughter Isabelle, as well as loving cousins, nieces, and nephews and a sister-in-law and brother-in-law.
Carol made dear friends everywhere she went, known for her radiant smile, kind and quiet spirit, and always being up for an adventure and a laugh. She will be remembered for her strength, warmth, independence, and the love she gave so freely.
A private family service will be planned at a later time.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating blood or platelets to help patients like Carol, or gifts may be made to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute at.