Accident claims life of adjunct teacher

Artist Carol Wilder is being remembered by the students and faculty at North Lake College. She and her friend, Charlotte Lindsay, were involved in a car accident last Wednesday, which took her life the next morning and left Lindsay in critical condition.

According to the Dallas Morning News, Esteban Soto lost control of his van and crossed over the median to hit Wilder’s car head-on. According to police reports, he was arrested and charged with intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault. Lindsay is currently listed in fair condition, according to hospital officials.

To students and faculty at North Lake College, Wilder was everyone’s friend. “She was very friendly and outgoing,” said David Evans, dean of visual and performing arts. “She made a special effort to support the students and come to the student art shows.”

Wilder taught as a part of adjunct faculty on and off for nearly 13 years. She had taken this semester off to do commissioned work with her husband.
Co-workers and friends say that another important aspect of her life was her family. She and husband, Larry Enge, complimented each other and that was evident in their work, family and church. Above all, she was a mother to her three children: Trevor, Jora, and Amilia.

“Carol was a good mother and did whatever it took for her children,” said Fulmer. “She gave them room to develop their own style.”

As she did with her students, Wilder was an amazing teacher. She had her own way of teaching and could make something as simple as kitchen utensils in a can look like a true work of art, Fulmer said. “I was using Carol’s work to teach my class what it looks like when a true artist breaks the rules,” she said, referring to a piece of art by Carol entitled ‘My House.’ So even when she wasn’t teaching, I was teaching using her art work.”

When Wilder would teach, Fulmer said, she would bring guest speakers in often because she wanted to broaden her students’ experience to art.

“Carol and Larry were the curators for a show called ‘Collaboration.’ In this project, Carol paired people with different backgrounds or cultures. The pair had to find a common area to create a piece of artwork,” Fulmer explained, smiling. “I was paired with a girl from Romania. She loved to take diversity and integrate it in her work.”

Wilder’s funeral services were held on Tuesday, Feb. 17. Wilder is survived by her husband, Larry Enge; their two daughters, Jora and Amilia; her son, Trevor Jennings; and her mother, Jo Nell Wilder.