Olga Carito loved Key West when she had a chance to visit in the 1990’s. She particularly loved purchasing shopping bags full of used books at the Monroe Library sale and then sweet-talking the postmaster into personally packing them into boxes for her to ship home.
Olga was born in the Italian North End of Boston and only spoke Italian when she started school. She became the first in her family to graduate college and in her first job was a “computer.” Similarly to the women in “Hidden Figures,” she led a team of mathematicians at MIT who did the calculations for the early work on the laser.
Olga broke from work to marry, raise a family of six kids, and involve herself in her community. In her forties, when her kids were older, she became a teacher, learned to drive, and earned a Masters Degree in Mathematics.
At age 60, recently widowed, Olga found herself touring through Maine with a friend, winding up their day at a bed and breakfast in Boothbay Harbor. When she heard the owner and his guests commiserating about him putting the place up for sale, she looked around and announced, “I’ll buy it.”
Being the owner and hostess of The Seafarer Inn was the business she was born to run. Endlessly charming, a lover of people, and proud of her hearty breakfast, Olga entertained countless visitors, most of whom refused to depart without a hug and a kiss.
After her health declined, Olga moved back to the Boston area where she loved to spend time with her family, grandkids, and playing cards with friends.
Olga loved beauty of all kinds - particularly music, art, and flowers. She sang throughout the day and in church choirs and always maintained large gardens. She had a great love for history and books, was a wicked Scrabble player, and an ardent Democrat. She loved her church, had her own special relationship with Jesus Christ, and was particularly devoted to the Blessed Mother.
Olga died on January 27, 2017. Her family misses her every day.