Carole Schmickley Baumann

Carole Schmickley Baumann, 65, of Ellicott City, Maryland, passed away on September 16th, 2023, surrounded by her loved ones. Carole was predeceased by her older brother, Tom Schmickley, and her parents, Barbara Galation Schmickley and Harold Schmickley. She is survived by her three children, Bailey Baumann (Bob Mergner), Kasey Freedman (Kelyn Freedman), and Hutson Baumann. She is also the grandmother to a granddaughter, who is due in November.

Born in Catonsville, Maryland, Carole and her family moved to Lexington, Massachusetts for her father’s career at MIT when she was a young girl. She graduated from Lexington High School and then went on to Northeastern University, where she obtained her bachelor's degree in 1982. Carole’s first job out of college was to assist those with developmental delays in finding employment that recognized and celebrated their unique perspectives and contributions. Carole met Curtis Baumann in Boston and they married in 1984 and moved back to Maryland to start a family and be closer to Carole’s parents. After spending time away from the workforce to raise her three children, Carole started her long career at St. John’s Parish Day School when her youngest child was four. She spent the next 25 years at St. John’s and served in multiple positions: assistant preschool teacher, lead preschool teacher, administrative assistant, and most recently, school librarian. She was loved and cherished by many in the school community.

A lifelong lover of theater and music, Carole thoroughly enjoyed her time performing with Howard County Summer Theater. Her enthusiasm and zest for life shined through on stage. Carole picked up many hobbies throughout her life. Most recently, she was into candle making and knitting a blanket for her upcoming granddaughter.

Of all the various aspects of her life, Carole was most devoted to being a mom. She loved her three children with everything she had. Carole never missed a sporting event or a moment to console.

While devastated by her passing, we know she is finally at peace after a long road of health complications. She is somewhere up there, sitting on a front porch in Ocean City, New Jersey, sipping a hot cup of coffee, surrounded by a million dogs.

A memorial service is scheduled for 11 AM on Saturday, September 23rd at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Ellicott City. A reception will follow. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Carole’s vibrant life. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Carole Baumann Memorial Scholarship at St. John’s Parish Day School. Above all, to best honor the life of our mother: find gratitude in the small things, accept one another, spread joy, and sing like no one’s listening.