Carol C. Matruski

Beloved wife and mother, Carol C. Matruski, 60, passed away January 16, 2023. Carol was most recently General Manager for the Matruski Food Corporation and co-owner of Pizza on the Plaza in Johnson City. Her favorite part of owning and operating a business was seeing the regulars daily. Carol spent the majority of her career as a teacher both at the Susquehanna School and SUNY Binghamton. She received her B.A. in Literature and Rhetoric in 1984 from SUNY Binghamton and followed it with her M.S.E.D., Elementary Education in 1989. She started at The Susquehanna School in 1989 and became the Executive Director upon the retirement of its founding director, in 2002 up until 2007. While at the school, Carol was a pioneer of alternative learning and in particular, the facilitation, introduction and implementation of the Russian Vygotsky Math Program working with both Professor Jean Schmittau of Binghamton University and Professor Olga Sviridova of University of Krasnoyarsk. Carol loved her time in education and treated all her students as if they were her own children.

She was predeceased by her parents, Dr. E. Duane and June Coolbaugh. Carol is survived by her husband of 34 years Douglas, sons Matthew D. Matruski and Adam D. Matruski, siblings; Walter and Paula Coolbaugh, Douglas and Robin Coolbaugh and Cathy and Mark Lester, nieces and nephews, Nicole Coolbaugh, Kristen and Andrew Burke, Michael and Sara Coolbaugh, Melissa and Lloyd Trueblood, Megan Rayball, Samantha Lester, and uncle John Lyon. She leaves behind brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Phillip and Patricia Matruski and nephews Ryan and Mark Matruski.

Carol’s world was her family. She always said her greatest achievements were her boys and the love of her life, Doug. She always put the needs of others ahead of her own and was known for helping those in times of crisis. She also loved her pet children that included the family dog, Pokey and kittens, Boo, Bandit and Olive. When not working, she could be found antiquing with her husband, camping in the Catskills, reading mystery thrillers, and much more. Some of her favorite memories included traveling for son, Adam’s hockey games as well as destination-less car rides that usually took her and Doug to a body of water. Carol was also known for her love of dance and is remembered by many students for spontaneous dance parties to the Macarena at school.

Funeral services will be private. The family will receive friends from 3:00pm until 6:00pm, Monday, January 30, 2023 at the DeMunn Funeral Home, 36 Conklin Avenue, Binghamton. Despite her love for floral arrangements, in lieu of flowers, please consider donating to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place • Memphis, TN 38105 Carol was a longtime donor for most of her life. To forward condolences please visit www.demunn.com .