Carolyn Marie Wildstein

Lynn Wildstein was a small town girl, born on December 1, 1942 in Kingston, New York. She died in Charleston, South Carolina on June 30, 2020.

She was the firstborn of Catherine and Leo Darwak.

Soon after her birth, her father left to fight in World War II, returning in 1945 when she first began to know him in person.

Growing up in semi-rural Kingston, she was nurtured by a large and loving family who were close by neighbors, to become the kind, gentle, loving, and caring unique person she was to be for the rest of her life.

Her elementary education was at St. Mary’s School, close to her home, and she graduated high school with honors from St. Ursula’s Academy in Kingston in 1960.

She chose Nursing as her career. Leaving Kingston for the first time, she received her Nursing education at Albany Medical Center School of Nursing in Albany, New York, from which she graduated in 1963 at age 20 with a Registered Nursing (R.N.) Diploma, again with honors.

She was the epitome of yesteryear’s bedside nurse, a rarity in today’s world.

At Albany Medical Center Hospital, in 1963, she met a Resident in Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Dr. Gilbert Wildstein. They fell in love with each other for a lifetime.

After a 7 year, long-distance flying courtship, in 1970, Lynn and Gil were married in Atlanta, GA where her husband had established practice.

In the intervening years, Lynn practiced Nursing as an R.N. first at Albany Medical Center Hospital in Albany, New York and then at Benedictine Hospital in Kingston, New York where she became one of the country’s first Coronary Care Unit nurses.

Lynn and Gil had 4 children between 1971 and 1975, a daughter followed by three boys.

She adored her children and was totally immersed in their lives. For many years she ran the school store as a volunteer at Galloway School in Atlanta. She never missed a child’s school conference or a child’s performance, and never missed a Little League, High School or Pony League baseball game. She loved watching her kids play baseball. And then, when her children were away at college, she loved watching other kids playing baseball at the local baseball fields.

After her children left for college, she became one of the volunteer counters at her church, Holy Spirit Catholic Church in the Buckhead section of Atlanta where she cherished the friendships she developed with the other counters.

Every summer the Wildstein family would load up the window van (with 2 clam shell containers on top) for a 6 week vacation trip back north to visit family on both sides. On one of these trips in 1983, the family serendipitously discovered the beaches of Charleston, SC, which she loved for the rest of her days.

Since then, every summer included time at the Charleston beaches on the trip back North. This tradition was instrumental in her 3 boys and their families moving to Charleston permanently and all 4 of her children, their spouses, and all 8 of her grandchildren relishing the annual oceanfront “Beach Week”, of family under one roof on the Isle of Palms, a barrier island near Charleston.

She spent the last 2 years of her life in Charleston, SC surrounded by the family she loved with all her being and where her medical treatment could be supplemented with that love.

Lynn was selfless. She never complained, even while fighting her disease for more than 2 years and remained a great patient.

Throughout her life she lived for others and never had a bad word to say about anyone. She would make a new friend while standing in line at the grocery store or at the next table in a restaurant. She uplifted those around her. She was an Angel on Earth; she was like a Haley’s Comet, which comes around once a century.

Lynn’s poise, grace and beauty went hand-in-glove with her gentleness, selflessness, gregariousness, strength, kindness, love and joy.

She is survived by her husband, Gilbert Wildstein, M.D., her daughter, Michelle Wildstein, J.D., her son Michael Wildstein, M.D. (daughter-in-law Jennifer), her son Brian Wildstein, J.D. (daughter-in-law Megan, J.D.), her son David Wildstein (daughter-in-law Melissa), as well as her eight grandchildren for whom she lived every day and loved to the ends of he earth, Jason and Lauren Davis, Mercer and Merritt Wildstein, Austin and Bennett Wildstein and Bryn and McKenzie Wildstein, her brother, Anthony Darwak of Kingston, N.Y., her sister, Mary Tarcza of Kingston, N.Y. and many nieces and nephews.

An ocean side memorial service with immediate family took place in Charleston, SC , and a broader memorial for family and friends will be planned in the future. Online condolences may be offered at www.jamesamcalister.com.