Sending our deepest condolences during this difficult time. I pray that the fun memories of Carole will help to console your hearts! We know Carole thought the World of her nieces and nephews!!

Much Love,

Forever grateful to be an adopted niecey 💝

This is so sad. I was Carole's stand partner in the Washington Conservatory Orchestra. She was a terrific violinist, and I played better at her side. I enjoyed being with her Tuesday evenings, sharing the experience. I will miss her. 

Matt Canzoneri

Let us not forget Carole’s event planning skills. Hey, I’m co-chairing this conference- I want to add centerpieces and some little details but I’m on a tiny budget.  “I got you” she said with a head nod and the magic wave of her hand (I swear she was part magician).

Absolute beauty- inside and out. Would you look at her -glowing - lit from within. Brilliant in so many ways from cooking to gardening to costuming, to music to entertaining, to engineering to training to activism. An icon. Oh how I miss my friend.

One of the nights we got “this close” to solving the world’s problems… who knew the tire iron diva and the jersey girl would be so tight.  Fate, happenstance, divine intervention landed us as office mates many years ago (pre-Y2K) and a Toni Braxton CD became the soundtrack for many soul-stirring, eyebrow-raising, hand-waving conversations.   Truly, some of the very best conversations of my life were with you, Carole.  Nothing was off-limits and nothing would be left unresolved.

Let’s take baby girl to the ballpark for her birthday! That’s how Auntie Carole rolled. Celebrate life, all of it! And make sure the kids know they’re loved. Nobody out-auntied Carole. Nobody.

An accomplished musician, Carole made it a point to support all performing artists - from  youth productions to Alvin Ailey - she appreciated them all.

Some people think that he is the bigger Nats fan , they would be wrong.

This was our last night out at the ballpark. Wonder Woman t-shirts because it was ladies night and let’s face it, we are wonder women. Popcorn for dinner 😉 was where it was at that night. Hollering at the Nats in between stories of the latest life escapades. We could have talked all night. That’s just how we were. No less than 10 lessons deposited into Angie’s heart by Auntie Carole that night.

Our last picture together, so distant in time so close in heart!

 I will miss your energy, I will miss your passion, your strength, your drive, your joy… 

I learned from you, I grew with you, I became a better human being thanks to you.  
And I know I am not alone…

You leave us, but not before gifting us invaluable memories.

Thanks for having been part of our lives, of who we are… 

I will miss you C, but I know that you are not really leaving, because we will always remember you and carry a little bit of you  within ourselves.

Rest in peace my friend. May we have the impact you had in other people’s life. 

Your spanish soul mate. Jose

Dear Carole,
From the moment we met, you were a whirlwind of positive energy and kindness.  I enjoyed working with you, and I loved to hear and read your stories about your life and your family.  I still have the postcard you gave me at my desk, and every time I see it, I am reminded of all the moments we spent together.  Very often I relive the time you started singing during dinner and the joyful ride from Leuven to Brussels, when I brought you back to the hotel. 
It was a pleasure knowing you, I will truly miss you.

How we are going to miss you, Diva. Your witty humor, the legendary and hilarious mommy chronicles, you bursting out singing during dinner one fine night in Belgium, all those giggles and fun. Thanks to you I got to know the USA a bit better too.  I have such fond memories of our time in Monterey, Washington and so many other places. You rocked! Peace in The Valley… Order in the Universe. Can’t believe the greatest Diva of us all will no longer be part of it. Heartbreaking.

My dear Carole,
I am truly, truly going to miss you. We shared so many great memories over the years – from our time working together at MATDEN, where we laughed our way through some tough times, to keeping each other in the loop on all the ongoing shenanigans. We had a blast at various congresses, and our trip to Brussels & Paris (2014 - just the two of us) holds a special place in my heart. We explored the Eiffel Tower and other iconic sites, indulged in the most delicious foods, and discovered an amazing underground jazz club, all while adhering to your ground rule of finding the best bargains yet doing everything in style. 
A few years later (2018), when you stayed at our house, we had a small MATDEN reunion. We even managed to win the local KUBB contest, and we enjoyed TV marathons with some of your favorite Belgian beers. One memorable moment was when my eldest, in the throes of early puberty hormones, attempted to talk back. You swiftly shut that down with an 'I don't think so, young man' speech. (My eldest -now- fondly remembers that talking-to.)
In recent years, our conversations shifted to meaningful talks through Facebook Messenger, along with weekly witty comments on whatever silly joke or post either of us made. 
I extend my heartfelt condolences to your family, especially your sisters' kids. I always cherished hearing the amusing stories about how they were doing, each update brimming with enormous pride. Rest in peace, my friend - May we meet again!
P.S. And also the yearly hat pictures! I’m utterly sad I won’t see them again.

Carole is a woman when you think of her, you immediately get a smile on your face. The necessary humour and love for her family and friends was wonderful to see and experience. Especially when she started talking about colleagues' babies that grew way too big and this was not possible.
Carole, I am really going to miss you. You were a wonderful me woman who was an example to many.

My heart goes out to her family.. She is going to be missed.

I sooo miss hearing your voice and calling me "Mommy lady." So many late-night conversations for hours talking about various and "sundry" things. You always looked out for your family and friends and made sure we enjoyed our time with you.  There is a void in my life.  Who will I call after going through Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C when I needed to make a decision?  Gone too soon.  Love ya!

I had the opportunity to work with Carol at Booz Allen and she was the spark on our team. She made meetings fun, cracked jokes, and her energy radiated to others. Everyone who met Carol enjoyed her company and she was always uplifting and willing to help out. I am deeply saddened by her loss and am sending much love to her family during this difficult time.

I had the privilege of working with Carole a few times during my tenure with Booz Allen. She was such a sweet spirit and made the hours spent on detailed and time-consuming work enjoyable because she was a part of it. My deepest condolences to her family in this time of sorrow.

Can never forget my best travel-buddy. Greece, Yugoslavia, Mexico, Jamaica, Egypt... wonderful memories,  wonderful stories. ❤❤❤

The entirety of our friendship was fostered on Facebook.  Your DIY projects, your thriving garden, and your old car made me feel like I participated in each one.  I'll have to do without those recipes for those great dishes you prepared for the family.

Thank you for sharing the lives of your dear sister, your mother, and little Pepper.  I now mourn the transition of the friend I never met.  You are missed, Carole - we would have made GREAT friends.

Carole I don’t know what I would have done without you on our Cuba trip- your positivity, laid back self, your joy and the peace with which you brought to all situations I was surely grateful for. You are one in a million & i will never forget you!

Chosen family.
Bill, Noelle, Kyle  and I have been forever changed. 
There will never be another like Carole, nor should there be.

“Dress from your favorite George Lucas movie” the Diva chose ‘Red Tails’ the story of the Tuskegee airmen.

We laughed, we plotted… we laughed some more. Two women who should have had nothing in common brought together by having everything in common. This is the way.

Our beautiful friend at Trader Vic’s in San Francisco, CA 2022

This is a hard pill to swallow, BigSis. Thanks for over 40 years of friendship, love and support. Rest well.

My sincere condolences to Ms. Carol’s Family.  I’m one of her neighbors. I’m so sad to hear about Ms. Carol ,is not longer here with us. we just started to know each other and shears our passions for gardening. May God take her to a better place.🙏🏼

OBITUARY

Carole Renalease Brown

February 18, 1962 – January 4, 2024

Fort Lincoln Funeral Home & Cemetery

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