Caroline York Chisum, 96, of Friendship, Maryland, passed away peacefully on May 18, 2025, at her home. Born on October 16, 1928, in Baltimore, Maryland, she was the daughter of Josephine Prout and James Arthur York.
Caroline grew up in Baltimore and graduated from Roland Park Country School, then went on to attend Randolph-Macon Woman’s College where she majored in Chemistry and found employment as a chemist at Lever Brothers.
As a young woman, she moved to the West coast, booking passage aboard a freighter from Baltimore to San Francisco. While living there with a friend, she met her husband Oscar Clarke Chisum. Caroline was a devoted and incredible Navy wife, mother, and homemaker, lovingly caring for her family wherever her husband’s military assignments took them: from California to Virginia, Maryland, Rome, and Brussels. She traveled from the United States with their four young children to Germany and led them on a three-month camping adventure throughout Europe while Clarke was at sea, reuniting in Italy to begin their next chapter.
After Europe they moved back to Virginia, retiring to Caroline’s home state of Maryland. She was a member of St. James’ Parish in Lothian, where she loved to sing in the choir. In her free time, she enjoyed gardening, and dabbling in various artistic hobbies, such as painting and stained glass, with her bright and whimsical style.
Caroline is survived by her children, James Ralph Chisum (Susan Levene) of Baltimore, Leslie Clarke Marino (the late Claudio Masci) of Friendship, Clifton York Chisum of Norfolk, VA, and Johnathon Douglas Chisum (Stephanie) of Waynesboro, VA; her grandchildren Andrew, Bryan, Stephen, Virginia, Benson, and Catherine. She was preceded in death by her husband O. Clarke Chisum, and her brother Douglas Hamilton York.
A visitation will be held on Saturday, May 31, from 10:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M. at Rausch Funeral Home in Owings, MD. Funeral service to follow at 11:30 A.M., at St. James’ Parish in Lothian, MD. Caroline loved bright colors and hats; please feel comfortable wearing bright and joyful attire to honor and celebrate Caroline.
