Gwendolyn Olive Cardarelli, 83, an area resident for 62 years, died unexpectedly on February 2, 2025 at Vassar Brothers Medical Center. Gwen always said, "You've got to participate in life!," and that she did. Every day of her life was full.

Gwen was born in Schenectady, NY on May 17, 1941, the youngest of 4 children born to John Henry Albert Tomkins and Olive (Stephens) Tomkins. She is predeceased by her siblings John "Jack" Tomkins, Keith Tomkins, and Sheila Lindsay.

She was raised in a very musical family with the strong religious influence of the Salvation Army. She described having a wonderful childhood playing, climbing trees, and singing. She went to Bryant College in Providence, RI where she met the love of her life, John Cardarelli, who would blow up her teetotaling upbringing and give her new ways to share her energy and love. They were married on September 1, 1962 and went on to start their family in Dutchess County having 3 daughters. John died on June 4, 1994.

Gwen achieved her Master's Degree in social work in 1983 with most of her professional life as a Social Worker at Vassar Brothers Hospital. She was an active member of various organizations including the New Hackensack Reformed Church, Adirondack Mountain Club, Hudson Valley Ski club, and Mid-Hudson Bicycle Club. She volunteered for Meals on Wheels, the Boardman Library, and a host of other groups over the years.

Gwen was the picture of gregarious. Everywhere she went she saw someone she knew, and if she didn't know anyone, she would make a friend before she left. She was always sports and activity focused as a kid and this never slowed down. From Jazzercize in the 80's, skiing, bicycling - including weeks long cycling tours in Europe and other destinations - to hiking, bowling, golfing, kayaking, and pickleball. She was probably most known for dancing, often 4 nights a week and having no hesitation to drive an hour or more to go. She was known for hearing a song and saying, "I know a dance to that one!" And when shoe shopping she had to try a pair on and do a little shimmy to make sure she could dance in them.

Gwen was always up for a shopping trip or an art gallery, movie or concert, an educational talk or lecture. She regularly took adult learning courses and loved to share the fascinating things she learned. She was interested in everything and loved to read and learn. She took tap dancing lessons, piano lessons, Italian, painting, just to name a few. Her energy, excitement for life, and constant interest in learning paired well with traveling. A typical question for her daughters was "Where is your Mom? What's she up to now?" The answer was often another country, sailing the south of France, ziplining in Costa Rica, camping on the Mexican Baja, bicycling through Europe, or something of the like. Everyone wanted to "be like her when I grow up!"

Gwen was exceptionally thoughtful and generous, always thinking about what she could do for someone else. She would often cook or bake something to bring to someone, sometimes for no particular reason. She never went anywhere "empty-handed." She always wanted to help, to make people feel better. She did that. She made people feel good, better, everywhere she went.

Perhaps her greatest joy was being a mother. She told her daughters always that they were her blessings, her treasures, that she couldn't have imagined her life without them. She showered them with endless love in endless ways. She is survived by her daughters, Beth Donohue and her husband, Matthew, Sharon Strack, and Janet Cardarelli and her husband, John Audi. Her endless love was also extended to grandchildren, Matthew Donohue and his wife Destiny, Ryan Donohue, Jesse Strack, Estelle Strack, and her great-grandchildren, Jonathan and Carmen Donohue.

Because you are reading this, there is still time to be like her when you grow up.

Calling hours will be held on Friday from 3-6pm at the McHoul Funeral Home, Inc., 895 Route 82, Hopewell Junction. There will be a celebration of her life at 6pm.

In Gwen's memory, her family has asked that everyone "pay it forward" by donating in her memory to an organization that would mean something special to her.