Carolyn Dorff, 63

HOLDERNESS — The soprano section in the celestial choir just got a major upgrade. Early Monday morning, September 19, Carolyn Hudgins Dorff, 63, passed away peacefully in her picturesque home in Holderness, surrounded by family. Much like a fairytale, her life unfolded in distinct chapters. She was born on Christmas Day in 1958 in Norfolk, Virginia, to Phyllis and Bob Hudgins, who shared a passion for sailing, and would often take Carolyn and brother Tom out on the open sea.

After an adventurous childhood, she attended Denison University, where she studied vocal performance. She then moved to North Carolina and started a family, and was a member of her family band the "Tune Mammals." For a decade, she traveled all over the country performing original children’s music with her family, including her three children, Bill, Katie, and Becca. She played countless iconic musical theater and opera roles, obtained a post graduate degree in opera at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and sang with orchestras and chamber music ensembles. Her myriad of motivating masterful performances led to her landing the lead role, Lily, in the national touring Broadway production of "The Secret Garden."

She then shifted her focus to passing on her wisdom and talent. She created a business called "Power Performance," dedicated to teaching voice and acting technique. Many of her students received impressive accolades.

While working for a local theater company in Raleigh, she met her husband, Robin Dorff. They performed in several shows together, and eventually fell in love. He was by her side until the moment she passed. They moved from Raleigh, North Carolina, to Carlisle, Pennsylvania, to Marietta, Georgia, and finally to Holderness. She spent her final chapter in a beautiful historic church converted into a dream home, worthy of a princess.

Carolyn was majestic and intricate like a butterfly, blessed the world with her gift like a songbird, and like a rainbow, she had the ability to induce smiles even after life’s most tumultuous storms.

Carolyn is survived by her husband, Robin Dorff; her children, Bill Stevens (Laura), Katie Corman (Brian), and Becca Stevens (Nathan Schram); her brother, Tom Hudgins (Deborah); and her step-children, Emilie Jimenez (Joey), Justin Dorff (Tracy), and Nathan Dorff (Kayla). Carolyn was the most magical and loved grandmother to Satie and Julianne Stevens, James and Lela Corman, Willamea Stevens Schram, Reina and Isabella Jimenez, and Demi Dorff.

In lieu of flowers or other specific donations, Carolyn simply requests that anyone wishing to do so should make a donation to their own favorite charity. Her favorites were cancer research (of course) and Musicambia.

Carolyn donated her remains to the Dartmouth Anatomical Gifts Program and was accepted. Possibly a "Celebration of Life" will be held in spring 2023.