Caroline Vornberg, 75, of Westcliffe, Colorado, and Frankston, Texas, passed away on August 13.
Caroline was born in Dallas, Texas, in 1950 to Alice and Frederick Lee Adams. Caroline and her brother, Fred, were born in Dallas, but Alexandria, Louisiana, was their home for most of their lives. Caroline completed her undergrad at Northwestern University in Natchitoches, Louisiana. After working for several years in Slidell, Louisiana, she married her first husband, John Alexander, (married 1973-1984) They moved to Houston and had their only child, Jennifer Lee Alexander (now McIntire).
Caroline went on to complete her Master’s in Education at the University of Houston and later her Doctorate of Education from A&M Commerce, where Jim was a professor. These two later degrees were achieved while being a single mom and working full-time. She had a lifelong passion for teaching and education and taught for over 30 years in multiple school districts, including Alief in Houston, Garland, and Mesquite. Her primary focus was literacy in English as a Second Language (ESL). She also taught amnesty classes for individuals seeking citizenship.
Caroline met the love of her life, Jim, at an Earth Day festival in the late 1990s, and they were married on February 28, 2000, at their former home in Garland, Texas. They enjoyed 25 very happy and loving years together. For the last several years, they have split their time between their mountain home in Colorado and their lake house in Texas. After they both retired, they traveled extensively across the United States and Europe. Their most recent trip was to Hawaii with friends, which was a wonderful time by all accounts.
In addition to her passion for education, she was a champion for Mother Earth long before it became fashionable. She regularly took her young daughter to Sierra Club meetings. She has also always been a human rights advocate; accordingly, she introduced her teenage daughter to peaceful protesting. No surprise that she was also an animal lover and always had at least one pet in her life. None was as special to her as her sweet dog, Ciri, who came into her life unexpectedly, and they were literally inseparable from day one. He was her emotional support dog, and they loved each other dearly. They had seven years together before he crossed the rainbow bridge.
Caroline was a whirl of activity almost all the time. She did not sit still for long and was happiest when she was busy helping others or spending time with friends and family. She volunteered with multiple organizations and was active on various boards at different times. She was a firm believer in community and fostered connections throughout her life wherever she called home. Caroline was a shining light in the Westcliffe community in her later years. She will be dearly missed by all who loved her there.
Caroline was preceded in death by both parents and her loyal companion, Ciri. She is survived by her loving husband, Dr. James A. Vornberg, her daughter Jennifer, granddaughter Emma, brother Fred Adams, bonus son Scott Vornberg and his wife Laurie, along with their two children, Tyler and Stephanie, bonus son Mark Vornberg, and his wife Shelly.
Services are happening locally throughout the week, hosted by her church and many community organizations she holds dear. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to World Central Kitchen or High-Country Recycling (click on this link to donate).
