Carolyn Jean (Jones) Obiso
Christiansburg, VA – Carolyn Obiso, born August 21, 1949, passed away on June 1, 2022 from a long battle with metastatic breast cancer.
Carolyn was born in Franklin, New Jersey and was a graduate of Franklin High School (class of ‘67). A remarkably talented and driven floral designer, she began her career at Jones Florist in Hamburg, NJ. After being a floral designer for 28 years, she moved to Naples, Florida in 1991 with her husband Richard. Together, they built an interior design firm, “Design Resource” specializing in the interior design trade and supporting other designers in the area. In 2018, she retired to Christiansburg, VA to be closer to her family.
Carolyn led a rich and colorful life filled with family experiences and adventures. During her working career, she immersed herself in work, but still managed to maintain balance with family. She had a love for the sun and the beach and enjoyed walking on the pier in Naples. She was filled with generosity for her family, and she influenced the lives of many people with her gifts and talents. Carolyn was soft spoken about what she wanted and how she felt; but one of her greatest joys was to be with her children, grand-children, and great grand-children. She reveled in watching them grow and lived her life vicariously through them. She also loved to impart important life lessons. Carolyn always wanted you to try everything. It didn’t matter what it was – you just had to ‘be careful’ while you did it. Carolyn enjoyed cooking throughout her life and amassed a giant cook-book collection. Her biggest passion was to make zucchini bread, cakes and pies, and cookies – but would always leave them for her family.
Carolyn met her soul mate, Richard, in in Hamburg, NJ in 1967 and were lifelong partners in business and were married 50 years. Carolyn is also survived by two sisters (Wanda Laky (PA) and Cindy Jones (FL)), her son Richard Obiso, Jr., and her daughters, Lisa Obiso Rankin and Christianne Obiso Buonpane (all in Virginia). Carolyn had 10 grand-children and 4 great grand-children.
There will be a Celebration of Life Memorial Ceremony on Sunday, September 4th at 12:00 PM at the Stoney Lake Picnic Area in Stokes State Forest in New Jersey. Details will be announced on Richard and Carolyn’s Facebook pages or please contact the family for further details. In lieu of flowers, ‘In Memory Donations’ may be made to the American Cancer Society (
Https://cancer.org
), in memory of Carolyn.