Carol Lavinia Lease

Carol was born on 18 Oct 1949 to Elmer and Clara (Cooper) Lease in St. Louis, MO. Carol graduated from Belleville West High School and received her Bachelors Degree in Early Childhood Education and Masters Degree in Special Education from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

During her teaching career she taught at Harmony Emge, Ellis Elementary, Belle Valley Elementary and finished her career at Belle Valley Middle School of Belleville, Il. Retiring after 33 years as a beloved teacher, during most of those years she followed her true passion as a Special Education Teacher.

Carol loved to read. She read every book by her favorite author, Danielle Steel and many more. Her love of German music found her dancing as a founding member of the D’Frohliche Schuhplattlers of St. Louis and you could find her attending as many dances and German festivals as possible. Carol purchased a lake house at Bull Shoals Lake in Missouri to enjoy some of her retirement.

Carol was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Larry; sister, Jeannette Rovertoni; niece, Angela (Lease) Godsy; nephew, Anthony Rovertoni; and dear sister-in-law, Sherry Lease. She is survived by her brother, Ron Lease; sister, Belinda (Robert) Smith; and sister-in-law Pamela Lease; five nephews, Jason Lease, Robert Smith, Jr., Kenneth and Kevin Lease, and Flavio Rovetoni Jr.; two nieces, Jacqueline Smith-Morris and Alicia (Rovertoni) Gebhardt, and many grandnieces and nephews.

Friends may visit on Friday, June 12, 2026 at Valhalla Gaerdner Holten Funeral Home, 3412 Frank Scott Pkwy W, Belleville, IL 62223 at 10 am until time of service at 1 pm. Interment will follow at Valhalla Gardens of Memory.

Donations in Lieu of flowers to:

Huntington's Disease Society of America

503 Eighth Ave, Suite 1402

New York, New York 10018

Alzheimer's Association

P,O. Box 96011

Washington, DC 20090-6011

Condolences and memories can be shared at www.valhallagardensandfuneralhome.com.

Afterglow

I'd like the memory of me

to be a happy one.

I'd like to leave an afterglow

of smiles when life is done.

I'd like to leave an echo

whispering softly down the ways

of happy times and laughing times

and bright and sunny days.

I'd like the tears of those who grieve,

to dry before the sun of happy memories

that I leave behind when day is done

Helen Lowrie Marshall