Carol Linda Dominianni

Carol Linda Shuttleworth was born on April 12, 1941 in Tecumseh Michigan, the first child of Riley and Mary (Bell) Shuttleworth.

When she was 2 the family moved to Indianapolis where she lived the rest of her life. She attended Public School 76, Shortridge High School and was graduated from North Central High School in 1959. She then attended Purdue University, receiving a BS degree in Pharmacy in 1963. At Purdue she joined Delta Gamma and resided in the sorority house for most of her time on campus. After starting her career in Danville, IL. she returned to Indianapolis to become the manager and pharmacist at Kenay Pharmacy. In 1967 she began employment at Eli Lilly doing research in pharmaceutical development.

It was at a meeting of the Indianapolis Ski Club where we first met but our relationship only fully developed as coworkers at Lilly. We were engaged in May 1968 and married on Oct 19, 1968.

After living in an apartment for two years, we purchased a home in Brendonwood and moved in in the Spring of 1971. She retired from Lilly but never gave up her interest in pharmacy, maintaining her skills through Continuing Education courses and keeping her Pharmacy license up to date.

Children Andrew James and David Michael were born Jan 10, 1972 and she gladly turned her life to motherhood, guiding and nurturing their spiritual and educational development. She joined the Park Tudor Mother’s Association and was active in the children’s programs of Tabernacle Presbyterian Church. As the boys grew into men and married and had children of their own, her greatest joy was to be a part of all of their lives, a love that was reciprocated in full.

She was fond of music and reading and it was her great delight to play piano accompaniment on Christmas Eve when all of the family gathered to sing Christmas carols. Much to my regret, she did not enjoy “board” games, feeling that the aggression and assertiveness required to play “Monopoly” for instance, provided no enjoyment whatever. All the same, her greatest pleasure was in traveling and she enthusiastically joined in trips, tours and especially cruises whenever the opportunity offered. If she had to manufacture an opportunity, she could do that too.

She had joined Tabernacle Presbyterian as a child and was a 50-year member. Accordingly, it was a great sadness to her when a change in leadership at that church made it less and less congenial to her and she determined to make a change. She joined Second Presbyterian church and was instantly at home, taking part in Bible Study, Christ Care Groups, Adult Education and enjoying the music and cultural events available.

She was fundamentally a shy and somewhat reserved person, with a great distaste for ostentation and display. She made acquaintances easily and was always at ease. Her smile was ready and spontaneous but never exaggerated-more Mona Lisa than Carol Channing. She never had to try to be pleasant; she simply and always was pleasant. When people described her, the most common phrases were ‘poised”, “elegant”, “refined” but above all and always “sincere” and “genuine”.

Although she had a wide circle of acquaintance, she had a group of closest friends (some dating back to childhood) with whom she felt most connected. Throughout her life, and especially towards its end, they were of great importance.

After a bout with breast cancer a few years ago, she felt that she would be able to live out the rest of her life without apprehension. It was therefore a shock, when in April of 2019, she was diagnosed with Stage 3 pancreatic cancer. Radiation and surgery were out of the question and the only option for treatment was a regimen of chemotherapy. This was begun, but it rapidly became obvious that this was going to be an ordeal of profound impact. As we travelled to the clinic week after week, and as the side effects became more savage and debilitating, hope of recovery faded. Exploration of alternate treatments resulted in no improvement and it became clear that the first chemo protocol was no longer able to inhibit the progress of the disease. It was then that she decided to forego an even more rigorous and corrosive chemo regimen and entered into a home hospice program with IU. This final stage of her life was at least comfortable and made easier by the devotion of her family and friends.

As a devout Christian, she had no fear of death but regretted only that she would now miss the events (graduation, marriage) in the lives of the children and grandchildren she adored. As we spoke quietly and remembered the joys we had shared, she was mostly at peace. At the end, she thanked me for helping her endure. It was one of the few mistakes she made. She got it exactly backward. In those grim final days, it was her love, fortitude and quiet courage that sustained me.

Her final breath was 5:24 PM May 19.

She is survived by two sisters Lucy Hart and Sue LeFevre, children Andrew (married Erin Miller) and David (married Jennifer New), and grandchildren Riley, Natania, Will and AJ. and husband Samuel.

Tentative plans for a celebration of the life of Carol Dominianni are in progress. It is hoped that a gathering can be held in the parlor of Second Presbyterian Church within a month or two. Details will be posted on this site and in the church bulletin as they become available.