Carol Lange Obituary

Carol Lange, a lifelong educator, traveler, and advocate for global understanding, passed away on April 23, 2026, while traveling by train in France—doing what she loved most. She was 78.

Born on August 4, 1947, in Yakima, Washington, to Bernard and Ena G. (Somers) Lange, Carol grew up on a small fruit farm with her sister, Diane (Wayne) Baker of Anchor Point, Alaska. Her childhood nurtured her curiosity, her love of learning, and her appreciation for home, family, and the natural world.

Carol devoted her life to education with a career that spanned six decades. She began teaching at Fairfax High School before joining the faculty at Thomas Jefferson High School and later Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. There she taught English, led the yearbook staff, and guided students in producing the school’s literary magazine. Her students remember her as a mentor who challenged them, believed in them, and often remained a lifelong friend.

Carol was often called “the First Lady of Journalism” in Virginia, where she founded the Virginia Association of Journalism Teachers and Advisers (VAJTA). Her excellence in journalism education earned her national recognition, including the 1991 Teacher of the Year Award from the Dow Jones News Fund and the Carl Towley Award and Medal of Merit from the Journalism Education Association (JEA). After retirement, Carol continued to teach at workshops nationwide, and she wrote monthly guides for The Washington Post. 

“Carol was my mentor for decades,” JEA President Valerie Kibler said. “Her work as the founder of VAJTA and her dedication and service to JEA for years was unparalleled. She will be missed by so many.” 

Carol’s love of culture and exploration shaped her teaching and her life. She lectured and taught in places such as China, Dubrovnik and Lübeck, weaving local history and culture into her lessons to make literature vivid and relevant. She also directed the Rochester Institute of Technology’s Global Internship Program, helping American students gain international experience in English and journalism.

Her commitment to free expression extended to her work as a board member of the International Cartoonists Rights Network, where she advocated for the safety and rights of editorial cartoonists worldwide. Carol helped lead an annual fundraising event at the National Press Club called “Cartoons and Cocktails,” where original cartoons were auctioned to support artists around the world.