by Katelyn Caruso Obituary, Death – On January 11, 2023, Katelyn Caruso, age 77, of Cromwell, Connecticut, passed away quietly. She was the cherished wife of the late Benedict E. Caruso for 45 years. She was the daughter of Andrew D. Yakuboff and Elizabeth “Betty” Dobrywoda and came into the world on March 2, 1945 in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. Kathryn spent her childhood in Rocky Hill, where she also received her education and ultimately earned a diploma from Rocky Hill High School’s Class of 1963.
Following the completion of her education, she entered the workforce and began working for Northeast Utilities as a bookkeeper and office assistant. Following her time spent there, she started working in the pediatrics office of Dr. William Henry M.D. after some time had passed. The land in Cromwell that Kathryn and her husband bought together in 1986 in order to start their own farm was her greatest love, despite the fact that she liked and appreciated her time there.
The two of them put in an inconceivable amount of hours preparing the land so that they could produce veggies and eggs that were certified organic. In 1988, they were able to get the farm completely operational and give it the name Upper Forty Farm. In 2017, due to her husband’s deteriorating health, she made the decision to sell the farm and devote herself full-time to becoming his carer instead. The farm was the focal point of Kathryn’s life for many years.
She was so proud of the garden that she and her family had worked so hard to produce, from the fruits and veggies to the beautiful flowers. She finally made her childhood wish come true when her family bought their own farm. She enjoyed going to the beach, spending the weekend at the Red Lion Inn, and going to Martha’s Vineyard for vacations when she wasn’t working hard on the farm.
She had a passion for entertaining guests at her house and especially enjoyed having relatives and close friends over for the holidays, particularly Easter and Christmas, when she would prepare large quantities of her renowned ravioli and calamari dishes. Her favorite thing to do was to put her own unique spin on traditional holiday activities, such as holding a terrifying hayride at Halloween, Easter egg hunts on the farm, and fun family games on Christmas Eve.
It was always a great night when all of the family got together on Christmas Eve to eat traditional foods and spend quality time together. Kathryn is survived by her son Andrew D. Caruso and his wife Melanie of Rocky Hill, as well as her two grandchildren, Emma and Garrett; her three step-children Benedict E. Caruso, Jr. and his wife Karen of Windsor, Arthur Caruso and his wife Michelle of Windsor, and Lorraine Michael and her husband Bill of Granville, MA; nine grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; her cousin Barbara Machholz and her husband Fred, as well as a large number of close friends and extended family members.
