Carolina Anna Lawson

Carolina Donadio Lawson was born Carolina Anna Beatrice Donadio in Naples, Italy on March 11, 1920. On Tuesday, March 29, 2011, Carolina passed on to her reward almost three weeks after her 91st birthday. She led a distinguished life. In 1945, Carolina attained a doctorate degree in language and literature (Latin, English, French, and Italian) from the University of Naples. She wrote her doctoral thesis in impeccable English on the play, "The Two Gentlemen of Verona", by William Shakespeare. This was a great accomplishment for a young lady who had never lived anywhere except in Naples, Italy. At the end of 1943, Carolina met Allan, an infantry lieutenant in the US Army. They were married on September 15, 1945 in Naples. On her wedding day, she wore a beautiful wedding dress created by her uncle, Antonio Donadio, a longtime Naples dress designer. Carolina and Allan were married for 65 years. During their itinerant life, they lived in Sicily, Germany, Washington DC, Puerto Rico, Oakland, Japan and New Orleans. At every locale, Carolina taught Latin, English, French and Italian language and literature in universities and high school. In New Orleans, Carolina completed a second doctorate in French language and literature at Tulane University. She wrote her dissertation on Stendhal, the great French novelist and essayist, and his Italian cultural and literary influences and associations. Next came Baltimore, Chicago (the University of Chicago) and Kent, Ohio (Kent State University) where again she taught French and Italian language and literature, some aspects of which entailed helping opera singers perfect their Italian and teaching avant guarde contemporary French plays (Ionesco, Beckett). In retirement in Charleston, South Carolina, she continued her language and literary activities writing, publishing her writings, lecturing and occasionally teaching. During all her working years, Carolina contributed articles in French, Italian and English to the Encyclopedia Britannica and to professional journals on Italian and French literary topics. She wrote several books during her life, some of which are: Nuove Letture Di Cultura Italiana (New Readings of Italian Culture), Lettere dall'Italia (Letters from Italy), and Il Mistero dell'Oasi Addormentata (The Mystery of the Sleeping Oasis), all containing readings in Italian life and culture, language exercises, and grammatical explanations. Besides making a marvelous home for her husband and her family and cooking delightful Italian, Neapolitan, American and Chinese dishes, Carolina's greatest joy was learning and teaching languages, literature, and experiencing the world in its metaphorical splendor. She is survived by her husband, Allan Leroy Lawson, her son and daughter-in-law, John and Anna Lawson, and her three granddaughters: Nalan Carolina Lawson, Yasemin Ann Lawson, and Nilay Elisabeth Lawson. A gathering and mass will occur at St. Edwards Catholic Church, 1940 Mitchelville Road, Bowie, MD 20716, at 2:00 pm on Saturday, April 2, 2011.