Carolle Anne York's Obituary
Ms. Carolle Anne York, 70, of Durham and Mt. Gilead, NC (Wadeville Community), passed away Friday, March 6, 2026, at Duke University Hospital. She was born on February 10, 1956, in the Bronx, New York. She had conducted a courageous two-year battle with an aggressive cancer.
Those rejoicing in her peaceful transition are: a brother, Robert Filmore York, of Little Ferry, NJ; two sisters, Marva LaVerne York, of Durham, NC, and Darcy Jeanette Calkins, of Santa Monica, CA; a nephew Marvin Robert York (Bianca), and niece Kaylani Rose York, all of Linden, NJ.
Other family members who were extremely close to Carolle in their presence and spirit, include cousin Erica R. Bruton-Delaney (George), of Fairfax, VA; and best friend from college, Linda Mitchell Norwood, of Greensboro, NC.
Relatives who preceded Carolle in Heavenly flights are: father and mother Marvin Herman York and Doris Madeline Bruton York; maternal grandparents Godfrey Filmore Bruton and Mary Magaline Tyson Bruton; and paternal grandparents Norman York and Fannie Flowers York.
Carolle had the best of both worlds as she grew up in urban New York and rural North Carolina, attending Public School 109 in the Bronx and Highland Elementary School in Mt. Gilead. Her spiritual training came from decades of church membership and services, Sunday school lessons and learning the importance of the holy sacrament at Featherbed Lane Presbyterian Church in the Bronx and Clarks Grove Missionary Baptist Church in the Wadeville Community of Mt. Gilead.
Matriculating and graduating from West Montgomery High School in Mt. Gilead, Carolle’s was a perennial name on scholastic honor rolls, the rosters of school achievement and public service clubs, the slates of class officers and the sports dance/drill teams. She served as a bus driver senior year, picking up and delivering fellow students safely between homes and schools. Carolle took summer jobs at local textile mills and obtained first-hand knowledge of fabric manufacturing.
Living with aging grandparents who were growing increasingly feeble, Carolle enrolled as a math major at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). There, she picked up two degrees: a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics (B.S.—Math) and a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.).
While at UNCG, Carolle noticed that the school did not have a chapter of the sorority that she was interested in joining. So she drove a few blocks and pledged Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., in Spring 1976 at nearby Bennett College. She loved the giving spirit of the sisterhood, which was aligned with her value system, and participated in many community service projects.
Living in Greensboro enabled Carolle to visit her grandparents regularly to make sure they were well taken care of and she promised her grandfather that “I’m going to build a home on this land.”
And, she did! But more about that later.
After graduate school, Carolle remained in Greensboro, teaching junior high school math for five years in city public schools. After completing half a decade as a teacher, she joined the Southern Regional Office of corporate giant American Express as a middle manager of a call center.
When both grandparents passed away, Carolle decided to take her intellect and skills to New York City. She became a manager in the billing department of Harlem Hospital in Manhattan, where she reengineered accounts receivable policies and procedures to realize greater profits through increased efficiency and sustainability.
During her “off time,” Carolle worked in an after-school program in the Bronx that was founded by her father, a local school board chairman and national non-profit director and advocate for educational enhancements to keep minority and underserved students engaged in learning and achieving.
Carolle was also a seasoned and highly skilled seamstress and crafts person, who owned a successful gift business, making jewelry, handbags, scarves, belts, hats, quilts, pillows, ornaments, decorations and anything that was unique and that could be handmade and gifted. She loved seeing smiley faces after she had bestowed one of her one-of-a-kind creations on someone.
Realizing that she was worth more than the NYC hospital system was paying her, Carolle left healthcare and joined JPMorgan Chase, a global New York-based bank. She retired from Chase as a Vice-President in the Private Bank.
After retirement, Carolle decided to take her banking talents to a brokerage firm and joined Smith Barney, selling stocks, bonds, mutual funds and helping private and institutional clients formulate long-term financial goals and plans. She capped off her career as a broker at Smith Barney rival Merrill Lynch, where she was under consideration for management (taking exams and being mentored and groomed) before Carolle decided to leave the brokerage industry.
During her illustrious career in finance, at a time in which there were not enough women or minorities in key positions in banking and brokerage, Carolle always sought opportunities to give back. Rarely, if ever, did she decline a request to teach middle-school students about savings and debt or Sunday school children about tithing and financial planning.
Most of Carolle’s family and friends will praise her goodness and kindness over her prowess in banking and brokerage. The way Carolle treated others was her greatest gift. She gracefully and boldly walked into rich, skyscraper buildings from New York to North Carolina and had a kind word for the Chief Executive Officer and knew the janitors by name. Carolle treated them all the same.
She had an enormous capacity to give more than she received. Soft-spoken with a beautiful permanent smile, Carolle was always thinking about how she could help someone, what she could do to advance others. Working toward that goal, she freely shared knowledge, advice, contacts, references and financial support; anything that could help someone else achieve success.
In the last year of her life, Carolle understood that her time on earth was finite, but she made a promise and she had a dream and she allowed nothing to stop her.
Carolle knew that she might not live to spend even one night in the new home that she had just built on land previously owned by her ancestors. But that did not slow or hinder her from fulfilling the promise to her grandfather. She was meticulous and relentless on the telephone with developers and builders and selected every brick, tile, paint color, light fixture, appliance, door knob, roof tile, window, sink, cabinet, vanity and shelf in her new home. Every. Item. Her. Vision. Her. Masterpiece.
The home, now 80% complete, is the crown jewel of her legacy of giving. Carolle built that home for others and she lovingly, generously, unselfishly and without hesitation, GAVE. IT. TO. HER. FAMILY. FULLY. PAID. FOR.
Carolle requested a celebration of her life; no funeral. In that spirit, tonight’s musical dinner tribute honors her charitable humanity and abundant benevolence.
Carolle’s New York cousins penned the following sweet message:
“To our dearest sweet Carolle, today we remember and honor your life that has meant so much to all of us. While our hearts are filled with sadness, we are also filled with gratitude for the love and kindness you shared with us.”
Signed: Your loving (New York) family: Cousins Marianne, Anita, Barbara, Fredtrina, Shelia, Jeannie, Edward, Ed, Kenneth, Tina Monique, Tanya, Alfred, Jr., Shane, Nicole (Coco) and Ariel.
Her immediate family: Marva, Rob, Darcy, Marvin, Bianca and Kaylani will never be able to replace the love that came from Carolle’s giant heart. “She is the best part of us and remains in our hearts always.”
Carolle’s York and Bruton families thank all who offered kind words of condolence and prayers for strength. And we are profoundly grateful to all who came to share dinner and favorite memories of how and when you were touched and inspired by Carolle’s goodness and love.
Carolle Anne York Appreciation Dinner
Date:
Friday, March 20, 2026
Time:
5-8 P.M. (Eastern)
Place:
Montgomery Central High School
770 Timberwolf Dr.
Troy, NC 27371
Mr. Rufus Samkin, Principal
Order of Program
Sign-In:
Rolling
Video
Welcome Table @ Entrance
Musical Prelude:
Devon Little
DJ
Opening Statement of Purpose:
Kasper E. Mingo, Sr. and
Taria (Terri) M. Mingo
Co-Emcees
Prayer:
Rev. Gail Ingram Myers
Summary of Carolle’s Life Journey:
Marva York
Shared Memories:
Family, Friends, Sorority Sisters, Classmates, Roommates, Colleagues, Neighbors, Church Members and Others
Grace:
Rev. Gail Ingram Myers
Buffet Dinner:
A’s Catering, Mrs. A. Arnold
(Program Continued on Next Page)
Musical Salute; Attendees Dine and Dance:
DJ spins Gospels, Blues, Jazz and tops off w/ Motown and R&B
End of Tribute and Thank You:
Robert York and Marvin York
Carolle Anne York’s committal service will take place on a later date and has been entrusted to:
Stanly Funeral & Cremation Care
Albemarle, NC 28001
(704-982-8134).
What’s your fondest memory of Carolle?
What’s a lesson you learned from Carolle?
Share a story where Carolle's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Carolle you’ll never forget.
How did Carolle make you smile?