ISLAND ICON
CAROL PASTOR By Peggy Eddy, CHA Volunteer Words such as “amazing,” “exceptional,” and “extraordinary” are not adequate to describe the dedication to family, creative endeavors, entrepreneurial achievements and civic contributions of Island Icon, Carol Pastor. Born on December 1, 1934, Carol was raised as an only child in Troy, Vermont. As her mother was one of seven children, Carol benefitted from her large closely knit farm-owning family. Until the COVID-19 pandemic, Carol returned regularly to Vermont to reconnect with her cousins. Carol always excelled academically as well as in art. She graduated from Central Catholic High School where she was “involved with everything”. Humorously labelled a “traitor” by her cousins when she left Vermont for college, Carol earned a B.S. degree in Food and Nutrition from St. Joseph’s College in Maryland. During an internship at a County hospital in Oakland, Carol met and married Morton H. Pastor, M.D.,
who was completing his residency as an anesthesiologist. Following the completion of their studies and Mort’s three-year tour of duty in the Air Force, the Pastors settled in San Jose. While her husband worked at various
their daughters were learning to drive, she
hospitals, Carol was asked to oversee a
and Mort decided that Coronado was a
hospital renovation and the construction of
safer place to live and bought units in the
a 50-bed hospital while she simultaneously
Shores in 1974. Settling permanently in
served as its dietician. As she loved archi-
Coronado in 1975, their units at the Shores
tecture, when her husband decided to open
launched a series of real estate purchases in
a family practice, Carol aptly designed the
Coronado, including what is now known as
building for him. “Mort would write his
“Crown Manor”.
ideas on his forearm while he was in scrubs and then come home to discuss them with me!” Carol fondly recalls. In 1967, the Pastors relocated to Los
Trading several Coronado Shores condominiums for Crown Manor, the family moved into the house in 1977. During the
Angeles. Carol started an interior design
extensive three-month renovation, Carol
firm while Mort was at USC and UCLA
restored the house to its original 1920’s era
medical schools. By that time, the Pastor
condition. Carol was happy to open the
family had expanded. “Seven daughters in
house for political and charitable fundrais-
eight and a half years!” Carol reports.
ers. The home was also a favorite gathering
While living in Malibu, to escape the crowds and traffic in L.A., the Pastors spent many weekends in Coronado. As
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place for her daughters’ teammates on their CHS swim and Powder Puff football teams. While living in Crown Manor, one of