Carole Ann Brock

Carole Ann Brock, born July 12, 1942, passed away peacefully on September 8, 2024 at 8:38 am at the age of 82. She was surrounded with love from her children and granddaughters and the amazing staff at English Meadows Assisting Living in Abingdon, VA.

Carole is predeceased by her father Charles William Hesse and mother Margaret Edna Cook of Jersey City, New Jersey and her grandson Daniel Regan Brown. She is survived by her brother Charles William Hesse, son, Douglas D. Beatty, her daughter, Diane C. Beatty of Pacifica, CA, her granddaughter, Casey Grabbe and her son-in law Nicholas Grabbe of New York, NY and her granddaughter Dayton Lily Beatty of Abingdon, VA.

Carole was raised in Jersey City, NJ by her mother and brother, as her father died when she was just 10 years old. She came from Irish and German immigrants and they instilled in her a strong work ethic and an ability to always find a way to get the job done. She often spoke of being able to see the Statue of Liberty from her bedroom window, no doubt dreaming of working in the city one day. Her first big job was as a stenographer at Cahill, Gordon & Reindel Law Firm, which stood at 63 Wall St. Carole loved teaching and was the first in her family to achieve a college degree, which she did so in Education from William & Mary College. She went on to earn a Masters Degree in Education from Harvard.

Rather than go right into teaching, Carole was in the first wave of women to break the glass ceiling and did so at United Way of American in Alexandria, VA. She was the first female in the history of UWA to achieve the title of Vice-President. She loved helping others and worked tirelessly at UWA for over a decade, traveling the country while arranging meetings from coast to coast.

Carole always had a passion for education and made sure both of her children were early readers and also great swimmers. She talked often of her summers as a kid at the Jersey Shore and remembered learning how to do the twist from Chubby Checkers in a random encounter on the boardwalk. She learned to swim from Gertrude Ederle, the first woman to swim the English Channel. Gertrude just happened to be renting a room in the same house her family rented at the shore.

Her love for education led her to become a teacher, first in Springfield, VA at Orange Hunt Elementary, where open classrooms were just being introduced, and then later at elementary schools in Westmoreland County, VA. She thought that reading and education were keys to early childhood development and loved teaching kids how to read and to dream.

Carole had a passion for travel and particularly enjoyed going to the Hawaiian Islands. Maui was her favorite island, as she could swim with the sea turtles and see the rainbows. She enjoyed a large family vacation in Lahaina in 2022 and that memory is cherished by all for many reasons. Over the years, she enjoyed trips to Alaska and New Zealand and a family vacation to France, England, Holland and Belgium in the early 1970’s. She loved reminiscing about going to Madrid and Barcelona Spain in 2014 with her daughter and granddaughter to celebrate Casey’s UNC graduation. 

Carole loved her friends dearly and spoke often of Anne in VA, who she met at UWA and Betty and Jan in CA. When Carole moved to San Francisco in 2012, she worked as a Docent at the Academy of Sciences and also as a volunteer at the San Francisco Senior Center, where she met Betty and Jan. Carole learned her way around San Francisco quickly and particularly enjoyed going over the Golden Gate Bridge to enjoy Sausalito and also to the wine country in the fall to enjoy the change of seasons.

Carole wished for her ashes to spread in Maui waters and this will occur in February 2025, when she will be rejoined with her grandson. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the San Francisco Senior Center or your local United Way of America.

The family of Carole Ann Brock is being cared for by Farris Funeral Service & Crematory, Main Street location, 427 E. Main Street, Abingdon, VA 276-623-2700.