The Carol Dolovacky-Bradac Memorial Scholarship

Click here to watch the funeral service.
Click here  to read the News-Herald article about Carol Dolovacky-Bradac.

My name is Aaron Soya and I'm Carol's nephew.  My Uncle Ed and I started the Go Fund Me page in our effort to keep Carol’s memory alive for years to come. The goal of the foundation is to create a scholarship(s) in her name for graduating seniors from Kirtland High School.  We are also going to be creating a learning space at Kirtland Elementary school for teachers and students to come together during the day to read, work, and share.  With the help of the Kirtland Kiwanis Foundation, we plan on awarding our first scholarship(s) this spring 2022 and to have a space dedicated to learning in Carol’s name built for the start of school in August of 2022.  All we can think to say is thank you to everyone that was willing to look back at all the good times and donate to a cause that she believed in. Carol would be so overwhelmed with joy at the outpouring of love that has been shown. We hope we can keep this momentum going and ensure the continuation of the legacy left behind by the beloved Carol Dolovacky-Bradac. 

Carol Ann Dolovacky-Bradac, 50, of Kirtland, passed away Aug. 22, 2021, at her home.  Born  on Nov. 30, 1970, in Willoughby, she had been a lifetime resident of Lake County. 

In August of 2019, Carol Dolovacky-Bradac began her 23rd year of teaching at Kirtland Elementary School. Carol’s passion for education was palpable, and her genuine excitement and welcoming smile set the stage for another year of discovery and laughter. Soon into the school year, though, Carol developed a lingering cough. Being a teacher, "catching a bug” early in the year is not uncommon. However, the cough persisted. As weeks passed, the doctor visits increased. By mid October, a CAT scan revealed the devastating news. Carol was diagnosed with stage four non-small cell lung cancer. 

After the shock of receiving the worst news anyone can, Carol courageously tackled cancer head on. After nineteen months of relatively clear scans the cancer spread to her liver. By the middle of August, her health continued to decline. And on August 22, surrounded by family, Carol gained her wings to heaven.  

Carol was a beloved teacher at Kirtland Elementary School for 25 years, where she taught both kindergarten and art. Her colleagues, along with thousands of children, many of whom are now young adults, have benefitted from her kindness, her guidance, and her love. Carol’s family and friends will forever picture her smiling, because she was always smiling. She embodied the purest forms of faith, generosity, and acceptance even when it was difficult for those around her to do the same. Carol led by example and not intent, and in doing so she modeled a way of being both in the world and beyond this world. It is now the responsibility of those who knew, loved, and were touched by her to carry forward her legacy of grace, good humor, and deep humanity.

For further information on what Carol was dealing with continue to the link below:
Kirtland’s state title caps off a challenging year