Carol touched so many lives with her gentle spirit and incredible compassion. She is so missed by so many. The memory of her beautiful smile is a comfort as I try to comprehend this tragic accident.

I am so sorry to hear this news. I did not know Carol very well but enough to know she was a very kind and generous person who will be terribly missed.

I wish the Weekly had included more information about her and the impact she had on Palo Alto. Not only does she leave behind a wonderful husband and teenage daughter, but was also the Executive Director of the Palo Alto Humane Society.

My thoughts and prayers go out to her family as they mourn her loss.

I am deeply saddened by this news as Carol was a very warm and caring person. My condolences to her family, especially her husband and daughter.

To clarify for a commenter above, this sad situation did not involve the director of the Palo Alto Humane Society. I feel fortunate to be alive and well and carrying on PAHS' work for the animals. --Carole Hyde, Executive Director, Palo Alto Humane Society

I am so sorry for this terrible loss. Condolences to her family and other loved ones.

So sad and tragic. Condolences to her family.

Carol was one of the most compassionate person I've known. When meeting her, she immediately made you feel comfortable and loved. She was an amazing wife, mother and friend. Her loss is very hard to comprehend. Our love and strength go to her husband and beautiful daughter.

Carol was a close neighbor and was the most outgoing, positive and friendly person on our entire block. So sorry that she has left us. We give our best to her family.

I am very sad about this event. She would visit our school and was an amazing woman. We will miss her and keep her and her family in our prayers.

We are so sorry to hear about this tragic accident. Carol was a wonderful woman and she will be missed. Condolences to her husband, daughter and family. You are in our thoughts and prayers.

This is terribly sad and tragic. I am so sorry for her family and friends.

Community friends,

I'm posting this hoping to sniff out anyone who is leading any coordinated support effort for her surviving spouse/daughter. If such an one exists, please identify them to me or me to them so I can pass through members of the Eichler Swim & Tennis Club/Palo Verde Elementary and JLS Middle School/Christian Musical Theatre/Emergency Services CERT community who are keen to lend hands amidst the challenge of the circumstances.

Carol's smile and good nature will be missed by so many in Palo Alto. She always had a kind or encouraging word for you. Carol was also very likely to jump in and roll up her sleeves to help what you were doing.

So many of our friends have commented that she was involved in many activities, seen at the Dish, with her dog or on her scooter - it takes my breath away that she isn't coming around that corner.

My love for her family as they move through this challenging time.

I'm heartbroken. Carol and I walked the Dish every Monday morning with a group of friends so I know what a lovely, intelligent and gentle person she was. She was so proud of her daughter and adored her husband. I'm writing down every single thing I can remember about Carol to send to Larry for their daughter to read when he thinks the time is right. It's an easy thing to do because there are boatloads of incredible things to say about Carol.

What absolutely tragic news. I knew Carol through outings with her dog Jasper every Sunday morning. She was a very bright, generous and warm person who made me feel so welcomed as I recently moved to the area. My thoughts are with her husband and daughter during this very difficult time.

Carol was a dear friend who I met walking our children to and from preschool—she with her’s in her jogstroller and me with mine on foot, until we reached the creek where the kids would want to be lifted up to look for ducks and fish. Over the years, we continued to enjoy spending time chatting about the day to day and upcoming adventures. She had the most generous spirit—authentic, loving, kind, and fun—and a great sense of humor.

Carol was an amazing mom who enjoyed her family, was so proud of her daughter and husband and valued a close relationship with her father and sister. She would go way out of her way to help her friends and would do an amazing job at whatever she was undertaking. She gave abundantly in her quiet, self-deprecating way and reached so many of us in the process.

We will miss Carol and know that her loss will be particularly difficult for her loving family. During this time of sadness, I will try to honor Carol’s amazing spirit by remembering all of the fun times we shared, prioritizing quality time spent with family and friends and continuing to appreciate the beauty of nature every day.

There are no words capable of expressing the profound sense of loss I feel at the news of Carol's death. I treasured her friendship and her way of celebrating small things of beauty. Her love for her family was inspirational and genuine. I will miss her every day, and think often of the places we explored together. The joy she held in watching her daughter mature and grow was something that rubbed off on me. She saw the good in people, and often helped me see multi-dimensional sides of situations. Love to her family during this time of mourning.

My heart goes out to Carol's young daughter and husband. She obviously loved them both very much and was a terrific and devoted wife and mother. I have never met a closer or more caring family. Carol's warm, friendly and caring personality were a gift to everyone she came into contact with. If there is anything we all can do for her family, I hope Palo Alto Online will help spread the word.

Carol and Larry are both classic examples of thinking of others first in life. I will miss Carol's smile, her laugh, her constantly positive attitude, and her modeling gracious and loving behavior every day. I will miss seeing her at Stanford football games, as she and Larry would arrive early and save seats for her many friends in the Stanford/Palo Alto community. I will also miss the frequent laughs we shared as we cheered on Stanford. God bless you Carol, and may you rest in peace. XXOO.

This is such a sad story, condolences to the family and also the friends who are grieving.

Delighted to hear the way the community is willing to help this family in this sad time. Here in Palo Alto we are a great community and it is times like this that we see just what it means to live here.

It is hard not to feel saddened but knowing Carol she would be the first to find the positive. The positive for me is having the "Gift of Carol". Everything about Carol, her smile, her humor, her love for family had all been a gift. One that will not be forgotten but remembered for the beautiful person that she was and is in our hearts.

Carol was a beautiful woman inside and out. I loved her smile, her laugh and her warm spirit. Our children were in preschool together and although we didn’t see each other daily during those elementary school years, we always would have a good chat at Safeway, the farmer’s market or give big waves to each other on Louis road. I’ll miss those simple exchanges.

A favorite memory of mine is training for my first marathon and Carol (and Larry) always cheering me on when they would see me running along Louis Road.

This loss is reminding me of how precious life is and how one human being can have a tremendous impact on their family, friends and the greater community. Carol, in her delightful, sweet way has left her mark.

Carol and her family are one of the most tangible examples of what makes Palo Alto the special community that it is. This family is a jewel; it behooves those of us who know them personally to not only be there for them at this time, but also remind ourselves that we can keep her memory alive by our individual actions as members of this community.

Carol had that rarest of gifts: the ability to make everyone around her feel important and valued. She took a deep and genuine interest in the people and the community around her, be it her unflagging support for Stanford football or Sharks hockey, cheering on runners training for a race (I, too, was a lucky recipient of Carol's encouragement and sage advice), or making meticulously detailed swim team banners and celebrating the large and small achievements of young swimmers at our local swim and tennis club. She was one of the kindest, gentlest, most unassuming, selfless people I have ever known, and now that she is gone, her absence leaves a gaping hole in the lives of everyone she touched. She was truly, and in every sense of the word, a class act, and will be terribly missed.

Carol is a product of Palo Alto and grew up here with her sister and parents who were involved in the school district and local business. Carol adored their mom and shared many wonderful traits from both her parents and the best that our Palo Alto community offers.

Carol is an inspiration for me on how to be friendly, be involved, love their family, and give to others on a daily basis. My pledge to keep her in my heart is to live more in the same way that she approached every day.

Carol's grace, warmth and wit made my world, and that of others, a better place. Our laughs about our naughty dogs and wonderful daughters are etched in my memory. Carol was the type of person we all aspire to be with her humiity and generosity of spirit. Larry and to Melanie please know you are surrounded by people who love you and are there for you.

I've read all of the above comments and they all mirror so many of the thoughts and feelings I have about Carol whom, I have known since high school.
She was kind, smiling, upbeat and positive
even back then. She will always be remembered...and missed.

I knew Carol through our doggie play dates on Sunday mornings. She would always listen to my stories and was a very nice person.

she was very touching to me

It is with shock and deep, deep sadness we receive this news. As everyone has said, Carol was unique and amazing in her bottomless generosity, kindness to others and truly brought so much joy to us. She was funny and really treasured her family and what was important in life. I cannot say how sad we are for Larry and Melanie. But we know she will always be with you. Someone like Carol always will be. I am so grateful that we got to enjoy her company while she was here on earth. I know you will have lots of support from the amazing community you have built for yourselves. Please know we are all thinking of you.

Carol and I were both Pi Phis at UCSB at the same time and lived in the house. I loved Carol. We had many late night chats in our nightgowns while writing papers and eating popcorn. Carol was the sweetest person and a close sorority friend. I will miss her wonderful smile and kind nature. I am in shock to say the least. God Bless her in heaven, and bless her husband, daughter and extended family.
Jody Berry Miller

I just learned of Carol's tragic accident today when reading the Palo Alto Weekly.
I have been honored to know Carol, Larry, and Melanie as their pediatrician.
In addition to the many tributes already written about Carol, I can add that she was one of the most wonderful, caring, authentic human beings I have ever been privileged to know in my career as a pediatrician. I will always remember the day I met Larry and Carol, holding their precious daughter for her first check up. I knew immediately what wonderful parents they would be! Always so positive, gentle, caring, and enthused about life!. Over the years, it was a joy to be a part of their lives and to watch Melanie reflect the radiant qualities of her parents. My heart goes out to Larry and Melanie. Carol made the world a better place, and I am grateful to have known her.

We both are so sad to learn of Carol's accident. Living nearby and being friends with her and Larry was often having a shared pizza, hiking talks, or seats at a Stanford football game. She enjoyed small and big adventures, most richly her times with her family. We miss her.

Carol reste dans notre coeur a tout jamais.
Nous sommes une famille française, de la Bretagne qu'elle a aimée au cours de ses voyages en France, avec larry et Melanie.
Beaucoup de très beaux souvenirs resteront très vifs pour notre famille et nos amis, son sourire et sa bonne humeur toujours si communicatifs ...
Carol, we miss you !
Denis, Claudie, Gabriel, Léandre.

I remember Carol mostly as a cheer leader at Cubberley. She looked great in the gold and black kit and had the best enthusiasm and smile of all the cheer leaders. She was a senior my freshman year and was so nice to eveyone. I recall she also had a reputation of working hard and getting all A's. She was Cubberley's All American Girl.

As this year has rolled by, our family would like to remember Carol for all the love that she shared. She was such a positive and friendly person. We have tried to keep her alive in our hearts and welcome others in a way that she did.

We miss her smile and hugs. We know that it has been a year of adjustment for her family. Hoping that we can make each day lighter for you with our friendship.