Local obituary: Caroline Horvitz, 36, ‘a beacon of resilience and brilliance’

Caroline Hill Horvitz, a beacon of resilience and brilliance, graced the world from May 16, 1988, until April 24, 2025. Born in Miami, Florida, Caroline’s remarkable life began with the challenges of severe cerebral palsy and profound deafness. Her twin, Catherine, died shortly after birth. She required constant care throughout her extraordinary life yet her spirit soared above these obstacles.

In September 1992, her family relocated to Beverly, Massachusetts, where Caroline’s academic career began at the Beverly School for the Deaf. She later attended Beverly High School and then embraced homeschooling, eventually earning an Associate’s degree from Mount Wachusett Community College. Her insatiable thirst for knowledge led her to Mount Holyoke College, where she pursued a Bachelor’s degree and graduated to a standing ovation, and then to Simmons College, where she acquired two Master’s degrees.

Caroline’s linguistic prowess was unparalleled as she read in English, Latin, Italian, and French, and understood Signing Exact English, British, French, Italian, German, and Arabic sign languages. Her sign language vocabulary was created by her longtime caregiver and companion, Cheryl Lauricella, and encompassed an astonishing 100,000 words from basic to graduate level. Cheryl was by all accounts the “Annie Sullivan” to Caroline’s “Hellen Keller” and the pair was lovingly referred to as “Cheryline”.

Caroline worked and volunteered at the Mount Holyoke College Art Museum doing research on a series of previously unidentified acquisitions. She had spent multiple summers cataloging Etruscan artifacts at the archaeological site near Murlo, Italy, leaving an indelible mark as a published scholar and expert in Etruscan fibulae. At the time of her passing, Caroline was a cherished professor at UMass Amherst, captivating students with her courses in Roman Archaeology, Roman Religion, and Pompeii. Her kindness, humor, profound knowledge, and engaging teaching style made her a beloved figure in the academic community.

She was an inveterate traveler having visited almost 80 countries and both the Arctic and Antarctic regions. An adventurer at heart there was nothing off limits in her mind. Her first international trip was to Egypt in 2001, where she was one of the last people to be allowed to visit the tomb of Nefertiri.

Caroline was loved by all; disliked by none. She rarely complained about her physical condition. She loved children and dogs, her three papillons, Perseus, Anubis, and Imhotep were always by her side. She never missed an opportunity for generosity and touched countless people’s lives from family to strangers.

Caroline is survived by her father, Jeffrey Horvitz; her stepmother, Carol Horvitz; her sister, Christina Murphy; her brother-in-law, Sean Murphy; her nephews, Greyson and Cameron; and her mother, Linda Horvitz. Her legacy of courage, intellect, and compassion will continue to inspire all who knew her.

Her funeral service will be at Campbell Funeral Home, 525 Cabot St., Beverly, on May 3, 2025, at 11AM. Relatives and Friends are invited to attend. Visiting hours are the same day from 9AM to 11AM. The family requests no flowers or gifts. Contributions in her memory may be made to one of her favorite charities: Catherine Hill Horvitz Perinatology Fund ATTN: Rachel Cameau, Don Soffer Clinical Research Center, 1120 NW 14th Street, (R100) 9th Floor, Miami, FL 33136 or Safe Haven Medical Outreach, 1308 E Colorado Blvd #2240, Pasadena, CA 91106-1932. Checks must be made out to “Safe Haven Medical Outreach.” Information, directions, condolences at www.campbellfuneral.com.

This local obituary is published via Legacy.com and Campbell Funeral Home. Want a loved one’s obituary featured on Boston.com? Submit your obituary here, or email it to [email protected].