Mass For SUNY VP Carol Blazina Planned June 22
ONEONTA – A funeral mass for Carol A. Blazina, 70, the retired SUNY Oneonta vice president/communications, is being planned for 10:15 a.m. Monday, June 22, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, the Bookhouse Funeral Home announced.
She passed away on June 2, 2015, after a year-long battle with stomach cancer.
Carol was born on July 29, 1944 to Mary and H. Enrico Blazina in New York City’s most ethnically diverse neighborhood where friends and neighbors helped each other to get by, no matter what was needed. It formed her approach to a life that would forevermore revolve around helping others.
Through the Fresh Air Fund, Carol discovered the serenity and beauty of upstate New York, destined to later become her home for 50 years. She worked her way through Ithaca College earning a B.S. degree in Physical Education, majoring in Dance – said to be the language of the soul. Upon graduation in 1966 she was recruited to teach Ballroom and Modern Dance at SUNY Oneonta where she consistently earned the respect, admiration, and love of students she taught, coached, and mentored throughout her 43 year career. She earned a Master of Science degree from SUNY Oneonta in 1971 and authored “Ballroom Dance –A Step in the Right Direction,” published in 1990.
Carol served in many other capacities while teaching, including Chair of the College Senate, Director of Women’s Athletics, advising student governance, developing the Terpsichorean Dance Company, coaching Tennis and Volleyball. She played a pivotal role to broaden women’s athletics following passage of Title IX.
In 1993, Carol was appointed Assistant to the President and later, Vice President for Community Relations which branched into forging relationships with all levels state government leadership. Her skills for planning, execution, and completion of any project were exceeded only by her tenacity to reach her goal. Carol’s efforts resulted in many positive improvements and benefits to the college, most notably funding for the Alumni Field House. She continued to teach dance and advise Terps while serving in her administrative role.
Carol’s qualities coupled with her commitment to give back also extended into Oneonta’s community at large for decades. Some of the organizations that benefitted from Carol’s leadership include Saturday’s Bread, Kiwanis, Ten Fold Plus, St. Mary’s Church, Otsego County Chamber’s Tourism Committee, Oneonta Newman Foundation, the Town of Oneonta Planning Board, Destination Marketing Corp. of Otsego County, and Foothills Performing Arts Center where she served as Executive Director following her retirement from SUNY.
Among Carol’s many awards and recognitions are the SUNY Athletic Conference Distinguished Service Award, the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service, the Kiwanis George Hixson Award for Distinguished Service. Most recently, the Oneonta Chamber of Commerce honored her with the Eugene A. Bettiol, Jr. Distinguished Citizen Award.
Beyond Carol’s contribution to SUNY and area organizations, countless individuals, both students and local citizens, have been touched by Carol’s generosity and efforts to provide personal or professional help. Heartfelt expressions from students came her way continuously, all with gratitude for the positive influence she was in their lives. A “93 Terps president wrote, “Through your guidance I learned so much about working with a group and being a leader. My confidence and self-esteem sky-rocketed because of the experiences you provided me with. I thank you for inspiring me through my college years.”
An ’06 grad upon learning of her passing wrote, “She shaped and changed the way I think about many situations that I have carried with me to this day. I learned a lot of life lessons from her and often share her words of advice for getting a task done…plan, follow through, and finish.” An athlete, class of ’75 wrote, “She was a force of nature and gave all of us a chance to express our athletic gifts, small as they may be, in a fun and competitive way that we had not had the chance to do before.”
Carol is survived by her mother, Mary Vossilla, Riverhead, NY, sister, Janet (William) Mulligan, Riverhead, NY, and sister, Barbara (Denis) Nickolas, Scottsdale, AZ. Carol was also “favorite aunt” to six nieces and nephews and 11 great nieces and nephews.
The family wishes to thank Dr. James Leonardo and the Bassett Cancer Center’s staff as well as Catskill Area Hospice and Palliative Care. In lieu of flowers memorial gifts may be made to St. Mary’s Church Renovation Fund, 39 Walnut St., Oneonta, NY 13820, Catskill Area Hospice and Palliative Care, 1 Birchwood Dr., NY 13820, The Fresh Air Fund, 633 3rd Ave. 14th Floor, NY, NY 10017.