Resident of Berkeley

Carol M. Violé Rosenberg of Berkeley, California, passed peacefully at home on the winter solstice (12/21/2024) with her much loved feline Darla at her side. A dedicated educator and a person of great kindness and dry wit, she will be missed by her many families, biological and found.

Carol was born in New York City, where she attended Saint Walburga’s Academy, Convent of the Holy Child through high school, and earned aBachelor of Arts and a Master of Science in Special Education from Hunter College in New York. She had a long, successful professional life, first working at aschool for the deaf onthe east side of New York, then moving to California where she worked for The California School for the Deaf in Berkeley, taught deaf children for fifteen years in Los Angeles during her first marriage to Dr. Armand Violé (1928-2003), and spent the final twenty years of her working life teaching deaf students in the West Contra Costa County Unified School District. After retiring in 1997, she continued as a consultant for the school district.

She was a member of the Unitarian Church in Kensington, the Junior League, Volta Learning Group, American Instruction of the Deaf, and the California Retired Teachers Association, Berkeley Branch. After retirement, she attended St. Mary's College of California, earning her second Master’s degree, this one in Liberal Studies, with the thesis, “Women Hold Up Half the Sky: A Study of Women in the Church,” in keeping with her life-long interest in women and their role in society. Carol enjoyed music all her life as an appreciator and attended the San Francisco Symphony and Four Seasons Arts, the classical music recital and chamber series in the East Bay. For many years she travelled with Four Seasons and supported their educational programs in public schools. She believed that students deserve music and art: "Music instruction is instrumental to all learning—it disciplines the mind and the carryover is important. And they need the experience of exposure to music for sheer enjoyment."

Carol enjoyed visiting Maine, where her mother’s family, the Gliddens, originated. Her mother, Jean Henderson, was one of five Glidden sisters, including Ruth Laub, Mary Ann Gilmore, Georgia Hilty, and Carol McCormick.

She had a multitude of younger cousins, who knew her as Mimi. She is survived by cousins Daniel Laub (Diane); Rick and David Gilmore; Li Baird and Mary Hilty; and Andrea McCormick, as well as their children.

Carol had also family acquired through marriages: her stepfather Algo Henderson’s family, including step-siblings Joanne Pratt (James Pratt), Philip Henderson (Jerry Jane Henderson); step nieces and nephews Sabrina Pratt (David Carr), Alexandra Pratt (Aaron Craig), Ilya Pratt (Lori Lewis), Peter Henderson (Joelle Ehre), Matthew Henderson (Miriam Langer), and their children, for whom Carol’s warm, wry wit was always wonderfully engaging.

In 1985, she married Jess N. Rosenberg of Berkeley, the great love of her life, and gained a stepson, Neil V.

Rosenberg (Terri Thomson), and two step-granddaughters, Lisa Rosenberg (Daniel German) and Teya Rosenberg, who loved and thoroughly enjoyed their Evil Wicked Stepmother/Step-Grandmother (her chosen moniker).

She found a family of many friends. In marrying Jess and moving into his longtime home, she also gained his neighbors, who remained good friends, practically family, over the decades: Tamie, Rick, and Erica (Meeks) Dishnica and Esther, Jim, and Thomas Roitman. She had many friends who created a supportive network, including Phyllis Sudduth and her son Charles Sudduth, Willie McNeil Jr., Darlene Almeida (now Darla the cat’s family), Marsha Takemoto, Ros Sonenada, Ellen Strong, and Georgi Tirre. She also had many friends in the Four Seasons Arts group, who provided so many happy experiences during her retirement. First among them is Mary Jo Hudgel, who helped provide care and support for Carol in her last months, as did Carol’s step-niece, Ilya Pratt, and Rick and Tamie Dishnica as well as several caregivers, particularly her beloved Uinita Uhatafe, who knew exactly what Carol did and did not want.

Carol M. Violé Rosenberg was a strong, smart, independent person whose friendship, insights, and humor will be much missed by her many families. A Celebration of Life will be held at For His Glory Christian Ministries, 3121 Parker Road, Richmond, CA 94806 on April 5, 2025 at 2pm. Carol’s remains will be transported to the Glidden family plot for burial on June 27, 2025 in the Red Beach Cemetery on Rural Route 1, Calais, Maine 04619.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Four Seasons Arts (https://fsarts.org/support/) or an animal rescue or shelter of your choice.