Caroline Carlson Rhine

Caroline Carlson Rhine passed away peacefully on November 6, 2024 surrounded by her family. Caroline is survived by her husband of 26 years, Michael and their two sons Jackson and Evan. She was preceded in death by her mother Ilo Whitesell (d. 2023) and her father Robert Carlson (d. 1988) 

Caroline was born January 1, 1972 in Oxnard, California and grew up in Wilson, NC. Caroline graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and was a die hard Tarheel basketball fan. After graduating from college, Caroline embarked on a successful career in pharmaceutical sales eventually rising to Regional Sales Director for Pfizer before retiring to spend more time with her family.  

Caroline loved spending time with and especially traveling with her family. An avid vacation planner and “travel hacker”, Caroline was known for her ambitious vacation itineraries. She was happiest when on an adventure with her husband and two boys whether that was scaling a 1,000 foot cliff in Peru, walking along the Great Wall of China, listening to lions roar in the distance from a tent in Kenya, snorkeling with Manta Rays in Hawaii, or jamming to Green Day at a concert in Milwaukee.

Caroline was a devoted mother and loved her two sons Jackson and Evan more than anything. While her inner “tiger mom” would make an appearance from time to time, it was always with love as she pushed them to fulfill their potential. She was so proud of the young men they have become and was so sad to leave before she could see all of the great things they will accomplish.  

In March 2020, Caroline was diagnosed with Sarcoma, a rare and aggressive soft tissue cancer. Caroline did not like the expression “battling cancer” and instead preferred to say that she “lived with cancer”. And live her life to the fullest she did. Her travel planning skills were sometimes put to the test with limited windows for travel in between treatments, but she was always at the ready to make new memories on a moment’s notice when a treatment break presented her with the opportunity. 

A service of remembrance and celebration of Caroline’s life will be held on November 10 from 3:30 to 6:00 at the Delray Beach Club. If you plan to attend and have not already done so through PaperlessPost, please RSVP to Greta@thegillisgroup.com so we can have an accurate count for event logistics. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you consider a donation to the Sarcoma Alliance (http://sarcomaalliance.org) or the Leiomyosarcoma Direct Support & Research Foundation (http://lmsdr.org) 

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