January 24, 1959 ~ October 23, 2026 (age 67)
Carol Eileen Johnston of Auburn AL, beloved mother, wife, teacher and friend, passed away on Friday 23 Oct 2026, after a prolonged, brave struggle with illness. We remember her with joy and love.
Carol was born on 24 Jan 1959 and grew up on Lake Oliver in Columbus, GA, fostering a life-long passion for the outdoors. She embraced wildlife education and research, getting her BS and MS degrees at Auburn University, and PhD at the University of Illinois. She was a scientist and professor in the Dept of Fisheries, Auburn University, from 1998 to retirement in 2025.
Carol shared her passion with the natural world through research, writing and teaching, and was devoted to the protection of native animals in their natural habitats. She loved to take students, often accompanied by her two young girls, on field trips to the coast, to wetlands, or to immerse themselves in mountain streams to examine aquatic fauna up close and personal. She was an expert in the reproductive behavior of freshwater fishes, with a passion for darters. A special area of expertise was acoustic biology, specifically the various sounds fishes produce to attract mates. She is to be recognized for her many scholarly contributions by the Southeastern Fishes Council Lifetime Achievement Award for 2026.
Carol contained multitudes of love – for friends and family, music (she had a lovely singing voice, which she was happy to break out in), laughter, the beach and other wet places, food and drink, teaching, little dogs, fireworks, Jimmy Carter, and festivities in general. Annual Halloween bashes in her backyard were epic, driven by a hardworking fog machine, with costumed dogs and delighted children of all ages. She took her kids to Mardi Gras, where someone once shouted her way, “Hey lady, it’s Bourbon Street, not Sesame Street.” She loved to tell that story.
Carol is preceded in death by her adoptive parents Merle and Robert, her three brothers Bobby, Chuck, and David, and her beloved husband and soulmate, Kevin Kleiner. She is survived by their two daughters, Sipsey Grace and Abbott Lucile Kleiner. A celebration of Carol’s life is planned for a later date. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Carol’s memory may be made to organizations working to combat climate change, protect biodiversity, and improve education.
“If not for you…”
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