Carolyn Frances Durant, 71, of Dartmouth, died on December 25, 2017 peacefully at home after a long illness.

She was born and raised in New Bedford, the daughter of the late Dr. Robert E. and Frances L. (Jennings) Durant.

She spent her formative years in New Bedford on North Orchard Street. She attended Bishop Stang and Regis College. As an adult, she moved to Dartmouth where she spent her remaining years.

She was a dedicated art teacher at Hayden-McFadden School, where she enriched the lives of many children until her retirement. She enjoyed spending Saturday mornings at Cobblestones for breakfast with friends.

She enjoyed spending her summer years on West Island when she was young and in the pool at home for daily swims with family and friends in her later years.

She instilled a love and appreciation of arts in her students, family, daughter, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews, and all she touched.

Survivors include her daughter, Karen Lombard and her husband Jeffrey of Dartmouth; three brothers, Robert Durant and his wife Carol of Prospect, CT, John Durant and his wife Diane and Mark Durant and his wife Regina, all of Dartmouth; a sister, Louise Reinhardt and her husband Robert of Milwaukee, WI; three grandchildren, Madison, Sophie, and Olivia Lombard of Dartmouth; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Her Memorial Mass will be celebrated on January 4, 11 a.m. in St. Lawrence Church. Visiting hours are January 3, 4-8 p.m. at Saunders-Dwyer Home For Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford.

For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, alzfdn.org.