Carol L. Van Valkenburg

Carol Lynn Van Valkenburg passed away on Tuesday, June 11, 2013, surrounded by family at her South Riding, VA residence after a heroic battle fighting Stage IV Cancer of Unknown Primary (CUP) for 18 months. It was later found out to be pancreatic cancer. She was 58 years young. Carol was born May 3, 1955 in Norfolk, VA; daughter of Max and Neva Van Valkenburg and older sister of Jim Van Valkenburg. As a "navy brat," she lived in various states and countries growing up--Norfolk, VA; Charleston, SC; the Philippines; and Palos Verdes, CA. She graduated from Miraleste High School in Palos Verdes, CA c/o 1973, and resided there briefly after graduation before moving to Italy where she studied at the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) in Naples, Italy. Carol returned back to the states where she attended the University of Kansas c/o 1980. Upon graduation, she moved to Denver, Colorado, working as an accountant and enjoying some of the best years of her young life with her dear friends. In 1987, she gave birth to her daughter, Jennifer Lynn Doyle, and moved to Falls Church, VA in 1991 to be closer to her family. In 1994, she began working with her family as an accountant at Van Management, Inc., a family-owned, owner-operator company of 18 McDonald's® restaurants in the Washington, D.C. area. She dedicated the next 19 years of her life to the company, working her way up to becoming an owner operator of the Mazza Gallerie restaurant in Washington, D.C. in 2009. Due to her illness, she "retired" by way of medical leave in March 2013 to spend more time with the love of her life, Tom Toole. Her last weeks were spent with Tom and her daughter, Jennifer, at her South Riding home. When asked about the purpose of life, she replied, "To come into this world and try to make one small difference in someone's life. It doesn't have to be anything grandiose; it can be one word of kindness to someone you never see again. If you know you've done that, then you know you've done a really good thing." Carol truly made more than just one small difference in one person's life, though she was always too humble to admit it. She touched countless people's lives with her kind heart, caring nature, and selfless love. She will truly be missed. The family will receive friends on Saturday, June 15, 2013 from 6:00-8:00PM at the Everly Funeral Home (10565 Main Street, Fairfax, VA), with a celebration of life party at the Fairfax Marriott at Fair Oaks, VA. A memorial service will be held on Sunday, June 16, 2013 at 12:00PM at Everly Funeral Home. Cremation services will be held in Belize on December 31, 2013 where she will live out her lifelong dream of becoming forever tan at the beach. In lieu of flowers, Carol asked for donations to be made to either the American Cancer Society or the Ronald McDonald House.