Carol E. Weichert, mother, friend, doctor and mentor in living a joyful life, died Oct. 4.

Carol was born on August 17, 1936, alongside her identical twin sister, Susan, to Isadore Edelstein and Jean Eisner Edelstein in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Raised in a close-knit Jewish family, her young life and ties to family and culture were indelibly impacted by her father’s heroic tour of duty in World War II, as well as the anti-Semitism she experienced growing up, which gave her a keen sense of social justice.

She attended Erasmus Hall High, where she and her sister became highly competitive amateur swimmers. She completed her bachelor of arts degree with honors at Swarthmore College.

After college, Carol attended medical school at New York University, completing her internship at Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, where she met her lifelong love and husband, Harold Weichert.

After moving to Syracuse to raise her family in the early 1960s, she had a successful medical career as a pediatrician at the Well Baby Clinic in Syracuse. Her work in counseling mothers there led her to develop an interest in breastfeeding. She conducted research and published numerous articles on the topic through the 1970s.

Her research into the psychological aspects of breastfeeding led to her decision to complete a residency in psychiatry at Tufts University in the late 1980s. She served as a psychiatrist at the Boston Veteran’s Administration hospital and later had a private practice.

Carol was a devoted wife and a loving and encouraging mother of four children, deeply loyal and committed to her family.

Amid her professional achievements, she followed her love of beauty, enjoying life to the fullest. She especially enjoyed sunsets from her deck on Martha’s Vineyard, her family and friends, opera and classical music, the arts and fashion.

She is survived by her sister, Susan Kluver of Martha’s Vineyard, her brother, Joseph Elston of Los Angeles, daughter, Regina Weichert, sons, Robert and Cyrus Weichert, and her 10 wonderful grandchildren whom she adored. She lost her son William Weichert to an illness in 1996. Her battle with brain cancer was brief, courageous and punctuated by her amazing sense of humor.

A memorial service was held on Oct. 12 with interment in the Oakwood Morningside Cemetery alongside her husband, Harold.

A memorial service will be held on Martha’s Vineyard next summer. For future information on the memorial, please contact susankluver@gmail.com. To leave a message of condolence please visit burnsgarfield.com.