It is with sadness that we inform you that Carole Terwilliger Meyers died in Berkeley, California on October 16,2024, at the age of 79.
She was a member of BATW for over 20 years. She served as Treasurer for about seven years and as a member of the board for several terms. Carole was born in San Francisco, California, and attended UCLA and San Francisco State College. She earned an elementary school teaching credential from Fresno State College. Carole worked as an elementary school teacher for two years before transitioning to travel writing. In 1970, Carole married Gene Meyers, and they raised two children.
Carole began her writing career specializing in family travel, contributing to such publications as The San Jose Mercury News and The San Francisco Chronicle. With her husband, she founded Carousel Press and went on to write and publish nine editions of Weekend Adventures in San Francisco & Northern California and two editions of Eating Out with the Kids in San Francisco, as well as editing The Family Travel Guides anthology. She also wrote the Disney Family Fun Vacation Guide to California & Hawaii, and edited both Dream Sleeps: Castle & Palace Hotels of Europe and The Zoo Book: A Guide to America’s Best.
When her children grew up, she overcame a fear of flying, and became an avid world traveler, visiting and writing about places such as Easter Island, rural England, and Fiji.
Carole was interviewed on countless TV and radio shows including the Today Show, always giving viewers and listeners new ideas about where to spend their leisure time. She was also quoted in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. She was also fortunate enough to share an elevator with photographer Richard Avedon, artist Chuck Close, and rocker Mick Jagger–whose music video for “Visions of Paradise” she is in as an extra.
Carole passed away on October 16, 2024, at Alta bates Hospital in Berkeley, California, with her husband beside her. Survivors include two children–Suzanne Meyers of San Antonio, Texas, and David Meyers of Pacific Palisades, California–and six grandchildren, as well as her siblings: Connie Terwilliger of Nevada City, California, Debbie Murray of El Cerrito, California, and Donald Terwilliger of Lake County, California.
Donations in Carole’s memory would be appreciated to Doctors Without Borders.
Editors note: Carole was a beloved member of BATW and her death is a shock to many, especially as she published her travel column in Montclair, Piedmont and Berkeley Hills Living just weeks before she died. Her husband, Gene, said she was so organized, she wrote this obituary for BATW last year.
Oh I am so sad to hear about the passing of my dear good friend Carole. We were both longtime members of BATW and SATW and traveled to many destinations together. Whenever one of the organizations had an event within driving distance, I would try to hitch a ride with Carole and Gene. And what fun we always had. Whether it was traveling to Tahoe in a snow storm or me taking a picture of Carole with a moai on Easter Island, we enjoyed each other’s company. I will miss her sweet smile and her kindness, her generosity and her intelligence. Rest in Peace, dear Carole Terwilliger Meyers.
I’m shocked and feel a loss of a member we all knew and cared about. She was a wonderful writer and deeply committed to life , writing and her family. My heart goes out to her family.