Carolyn Roop was born March 30, 1940, at the recently opened Providence Hospital in Anchorage, Alaska. Carolyn’s mother, Margaret, traveled south to Anchorage from Willow, a whistle stop on the Alaska Railroad, population 15, where she lived with her husband, Minor Roop.

Even as a baby, Carolyn was a beautiful child and was doted on by her mother and people who lived nearby. Carolyn’s parents moved to Alaska from Missouri in 1935 locating first in the Matanuska Valley and then to Willow. Minor Roop drove a cat train delivering supplies to several gold mines located in the Chugach Mountains east of Willow.

With the advent of WWII, the family moved stateside returning to Anchorage in 1950. Minor purchased and operated a coal mine located in the Matanuska River gorge. Minor stopped operating a Cat and turned to flying a Piper Cub 45 miles to work landing on a 500-foot strip carved into the side of a mountain at the coal mine site. Several years later oil was discovered south of Anchorage, on the Kenai Peninsula, eliminating the need for coal in Anchorage. Minor purchased the Anchorage Piper Aircraft franchise located across 5th Avenue from their house on Sitka and 5th.

The family later moved to a new home on Romig Hill near the new high school. Carolyn graduated in 1958 near the top of her class of 500 students. She excelled in all things she attempted. Her sister Meredith said that Carolyn practiced flute five hours a day. At Anchorage High School, she was first chair flute, leader of the single baton corps, editor of the yearbook and an excellent pianist. She was an accomplished dancer and well-liked by her fellow students as it was always apparent that she liked them and was proud that they were a part of her life.

She attended the University of Washington as a freshman. She transferred to Smith College in Massachusetts despite her father’s strong urging she attend the Butte School of Mines. Her friends understood that she would be more comfortable in a concert hall than in the bowels of a mine. She graduated in 1962.

Years later she attended classes in Seattle and was awarded a Master’s Degree in taxation. She moved to Seattle in 1967 and worked for Perkins, Coie Law Firm for 35 years. Carolyn was instrumental in advancing the concept of a “paralegal” in the practice of law.

In 1984 she married high school boyfriend, Britton Crosley, and moved back to Anchorage. She knew his strong admiration of her had never faded. He had four children from a previous marriage, whom she came to love. The four, Margy of Anchorage; Jennifer of Eugene, Oregon; Daniel of Wasilla, Alaska; and Katherine of Seattle; learned to love one of the most important persons in their lives.

Carolyn leaves behind her sister, Meredith and brother-in-law Don Roose of Bainbridge Island and their daughters and sons-in-law Morgan and Nick Rohrbach of Bainbridge Island and Whitney and John Anderson of Seattle. Also left behind and dear to her are members of Anchorage Girl Scout Troop 18 with whom she has been close friends for over 70 years: Rae Hinchey Kozlowski, Ann Peterson Hill, Valerie Broze Bystrom, Elaine Stolt Waters, Ruth Peterson Dalphin and Marjorie Parkins Haun, and Jeannie Conover Ryan.

Carolyn passed away peacefully on Thanksgiving Day 2020 from complications of Alzheimer’s.

Arrangements are entrusted to Cook Family Funeral Home of Bainbridge Island, WA