• Courtesy
• Carole Reeves

Carole Anne Leavens Reeves died on August 21, 2024. Born on October 16, 1944, the daughter of Dr. Linus J. Leavens and Lillian Bombard Leavens, she lived most of her life in the Burlington, Enosburg Falls and Springfield areas of Vermont.

She is survived by her sons, Colton Rienecke, of York, Maine, and Joshua Rienecke, of Charleston, S.C.; brother Linus Leavens of South Burlington, Vt.; grandson Sage Shoemake of Florida; nieces and nephews, Hannah, Thea, Pennuel and Nathaniel; and several cousins and friends, including close friend Joyce Grant of Enosburg Falls.

Carole worked for the Office of Economic Opportunity’s Community Action program as a child protective services social worker and was employed by the state of Vermont in the Windham and Windsor counties district. Her focus was to provide support to parents and to help families find their strengths to keep them united whenever possible.

For nearly four years, she was an adult education coordinator at the Enosburg Falls technical center, where she implemented a grant program that provided support for undereducated and underemployed students, in areas identified by local employers that would meet their employee requirements. She was awarded the “Rock of Gibraltar” award by the Vermont Department of Human Services for her cooperation, dependability, family-centered work, and her respect and support for all, in and out of the office.

Carole had a strong sense of fairness and justice and enjoyed advocating for people unable to do so for themselves. She loved gardening, picking wild berries, renovating old houses, drawing, painting, reading, antiquing, and she had a small antiques business throughout her adult life. She had booths at antique centers, as well as at Jeanette Lepine's Mud City Antique Market near Stowe during the selling seasons. Carole also enjoyed attending many antique shows, flea markets and auctions. She loved the natural world and spent free time exploring the woods on her properties and in the surrounding hills.

She was a loyal friend and a devoted mother and family member. During her life, she had achievements and disappointments, as do most of us, but her fortitude and strength can be summed up with the quote, “It’s made with square nails,” like the antiques and houses she enjoyed.

A memorial and burial will be held at a date yet to be determined. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in her name to the McClure Miller Respite House in Colchester, Vt.