Carole May Reevy

Carole May Reevy (5/5/33 - 7/5/17) Our dear Carole---mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend, passed away on July 5th due to complications following a stroke. Carole's husband of 56 years, Bill, passed away in March. Bill's passing broke Carole's heart. Carole May Jones was born in La Habra, California, and had four elder brothers and sisters who were ten to sixteen years her senior. During her childhood Carole was an excellent student, a gifted artist, and a good athlete, participating in both the swim team and the synchronized swimming team in high school. Carole graduated from Sacramento State College and attended graduate school for social work. She practiced as a social worker for a brief period of time. In Sacramento, Carole met Bill Reevy.Carole and Bill married in 1960 and had three children: Tony, Carolyn and Gretchen (twins). Carole and Bill's children consider Durham, North Carolina their home as most of their school years were spent there. Carole was a devoted mother. Her children are forever grateful for what she gave them. She taught them many things including kindness and empathy, lightheartedness, love of learning, and a love of the arts. Carole also had several careers. Not only was she a social worker, she was also an assistant buyer, a showroom manager, and manager of a college bookstore. For her remaining career years she was a classroom teacher and was the reading specialist for Durham County Schools for 20 years until her retirement. Carole and husband Bill shared many interests including books and reading, nature and music. Carole enjoyed playing the ukulele, but had some interests independent of Bill, including athletics. She played tennis well into her 40's and was an avid swimmer. Carole and Bill spent most of their retirement in the Hilton Head area of South Carolina. They loved their years there and enjoyed many close friendships. While there, Carole practiced lap swimming nearly every day, sometimes competing, and participated as an original member of the Sun City Synchronettes (synchronized swimming). Carole also pursued her passion for art, doing pottery that was both elegant and whimsical, and became a Juried Artisan in the South Carolina Artisans Guild. In 2014 Carole and Bill moved to Richmond, Virginia to live near their daughter Carolyn and her family, after Carolyn's daughter, Katie, passed away from acute myeloid leukemia at the age of 16. Carole is survived by three children: Tony Reevy (Caroline) of Durham, NC, Carolyn McKann (Dominic) of Richmond, VA, and Gretchen Reevy-Manning (Todd) of Oakland CA; by sister Claudia Miller of Lake Havasu City, AZ; by grandchildren Kerri Anderson, Lindley Reevy, Ian Reevy, and Faith McKann; by beloved nieces and nephews and many dear friends. Carole is predeceased by husband Bill Reevy, sister Fern Brewster (Jack) and brothers James Jones (Margie) and Leslie Jones, Jr., (JoAnn), brother-in-law Dale Miller and granddaughter Kathryn Lane "Katie" Anderson. In lieu of flowers please donate to The Leukemia And Lymphoma Society, your local artists guild, or the American Stroke Association. Services will be held on September 23, 2017, beginning at 3:00 p.m., at the Durham Friends Meetinghouse, 404 Alexander Ave., Durham, NC. The final resting place for Carole and Bill is in Maplewood Cemetery, Durham, NC. Carole was the best mother ever and she will be in our thoughts and hearts every day.