November 11, 1954 ~ July 4, 2025
Carolyn (Carol) Juel Jaques, age 70, of Wilmington, Massachusetts, originally of Reading, passed away at the Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers on July 4, 2025, after a short but courageous battle with two aggressive cancers — an extremely rare situation that occurs in less than 1% of cases.
Born on November 11, 1954, in Winchester, Carol was a graduate of the University of New Hampshire and Suffolk University Law School. She began her career as an attorney, later choosing to step away from law to raise her daughters. Once her children were grown, she returned to work as a manager for the Internal Revenue Service in Andover, where her unwavering sense of fairness earned deep respect from colleagues and friends. She was set to retire on June 30, looking forward to the next chapter of her life.
A fierce advocate for others, Carol was never afraid to stand up to authority when she knew a situation was unjust — a spirit that showed early when, in 1972 at just 17 years old, she sued the state of New Hampshire for gender discrimination after being denied a lifeguard job despite outscoring the boys she tested alongside. She loved animals, music, and the ocean. Those who knew her knew her strength — and her unwillingness to be silenced when it mattered most.
In her final months, Carol continued to fight for her own care just as she had fought for others her entire life, but was failed by a broken healthcare system. The greatest way we can honor her memory is to carry her fierce spirit forward and fight for change: better practices in preventive screenings and scheduling of outpatient scans based on true urgency, not just availability.
Carol was the beloved daughter of the late William and Stella Jaques. She was also preceded in death by her husband of 25 years, David DiCicco, and her brother, Bob Jaques. She leaves behind her loving daughters, Dawn and Kelly DiCicco, her sister Diane Jaques, and many nieces and nephews. Carol also leaves behind her cherished pets — her cats Dirk and Layla and her dogs Fawn and Daisy — in addition to her daughters’ beloved pets, whom she called her grandkids — Oliver, Emma, Gracie, Jack, Bo, and Mochi. Dirk, Layla, Fawn, and Daisy are looking forward to becoming part of this pack.
Visiting hours will be held at Nichols Funeral Home, 187 Middlesex Ave. (Rte. 62), Wilmington, MA, on Wednesday, July 9 th from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. All are welcome to gather at the Funeral Home on Thursday, July 10th at 9:30 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass in St. Dorothy’s Church, Main St. (Rte. 38), Wilmington, MA, at 10:30 a.m. Interment will take place in Wildwood Cemetery, Wilmington, MA.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the MSPCA at Nevins Farm, 400 Broadway, Methuen, MA 01844 — a tribute to her lifelong love of animals.
To leave a message of condolence for the family please visit our website at www.nicholsfuneralhome.com
