Condolence: Carole was a tremendous light in my life. I always felt so joyful in her presence. Her kind smile and warm heart will stay with me forever. I will miss you sweet friend.

Condolence: I can still see Mrs. Lesar’s exuberant handwriting on the chalkboard. It was a lot like her: bold, refined, and it drew you in. Clearly she touched many more lives than mine and will be remembered by all of us as a teacher, mentor and friend.

Condolence: I shared this note on Facebook and wanted to share it here as well. I was very saddened to hear of Mrs. Lesar's passing: For the second time this week I'm wearing my pink shirt. Wednesday this week was Pink Shirt Day across Canada to raise awareness about bullying. As someone who experienced a lot of bullying growing up I feel pretty strongly about this issue and I always wear my pink shirt. I'm grateful for my family and the many wonderful educators that took bullying seriously and made an effort to stop it. The single best thing an educator can do is to always trust the student being bullied and ensure they feel their voice is being heard. I was thinking about the many people who helped me through these experiences this week and the first person I looked up was Carole Lesar. She was the principal at my elementary school when we moved to Sudbury. I was entering grade 6 and the transition to a new school was a very difficult one. Having a safe school environment was very important to her and she always took my concerns very seriously. More importantly she always took constructive actions to ensure the bullying did not continue and followed through on those actions. I wanted to say thank you to her for her help. When I looked up her name yesterday I found that she passed away last Friday and her funeral is today in Sudbury. I can't be there today but if I was I would be dressed in pink. I'm wearing my pink shirt for the second time this week for Mrs. Lesar and the hope and support that she gave me as a young student. Thank you Mrs. Lesar.

Condolence: A dear childhood friend and classmate of mine shared the news of Carole’s passing this morning. I’m heartbroken. Susannah and I were both part of Carole’s very special Valley View Public School ‘Enrichment Program’ from 1979-83. To say that Carole poured her heart and soul into us kids would truly be an understatement. The experiences she provided to us, from our ‘Time Capsule’ endeavour to our televised documentary on the groundbreaking of Science North...the lessons she tought us about thinking big and going or it, going beyond our comfort zone, and the rewards of commitment to a job well done... I feel blessed for her influence on my life. But Carole was more than a teacher to me. Though we met when I was only a child of ten, she had this way of making me feel like I wasn’t just a kid to her; that my thoughts and ideas and opinions had value. That I mattered. Looking back now, I think she recognized herself a little bit in me; kindred spirits she would say, which is humbling because , from my vantage, Carole was larger than life and I knew then as I still know today that she was as special as they come. As years passed, as I’m sure she did with quite a few of her students, Carole and I kept in touch.. I hope she knew what that meant to me that she considered me a person worth keeping in her life. When we would meet up, on occasion, I loved to listen to her as she spoke, with her characteristic enthusiasm, about her latest projects and undertakings. She approached everything that was important to her with such passionate energy, and she had a way of pulling you into her excitement with her trademark smile and warmth. I know I am not alone whe I say how much I will miss Carole, because she was one of those people who made a difference in so many people’s lives. However I know that her influence will continue to have an effect on my live. As I have done so many times in my life when I have tough choices to make or risks to consider taking, I will continue to ask myself, ‘what would Carole have done?’, orr ‘would Carole be proud of me for doing this? And so in that way I take comfort in knowing that she is stil with me.. To Carole’s family, please accept my deepest condolences. I hope you take comfort from learning yet one more story of how Carole impacted someone’s life. She was a great lady. One-of-a-kind. And my heart hurts for you. For all of us so lucky to have had her in our lives. Tammy Gillard, Calgary, AB

Condolence: My condolences to Mrs Lesar's family and friends. Teachers can leave an indelible mark on their students, for good or bad. Mrs. Lesar was, bar none, the greatest teacher I ever had. From the enrichment program at Val Caron Public to our head-to-head math showdowns to introducing me to the amazing world of JRR Tolkien through reading us The Hobbit ... Mrs. Lesar made learning fun. There is a little piece of her in my heart forever and I'm reminded of her influence every time I look at my Tolkien tattoo. Thank you for sharing this wonderful woman with us kids and may she rest in peace as she journeys into the west to the undying lands. Sleep well, sweet lady.

Condolence: I am so saddened by the news of Carole's passing. She was my 4th grade teacher, and over time I came to know her as a great inspiration and mentor. She was always so positive and encouraging. I will miss her like a family member, and I am so grateful that we were able to have dinner together, and catch up in the last few years. I treasure our video of Science North pre-construction and the time capsule we made of 1980. Those will always be an incredible part of my history.

Condolence: I am deeply saddened by Carol's sudden passing. I got to know Carol when she joined the Board of the Art Gallery of Sudbury. We developed a friendship and I a great respect for her kind and generous presence. She accomplished so much in her lifetime and was an inspiration for all who knew her. Carol...you will be missed!

Condolence: It is so difficult to find words to bring comfort to Carole's family at this very sad time. Carole was such a remarkable woman - she was interested in anything and everything, she was generous and kind, and she set such wonderful examples to all of us about how to live life to the fullest. Most importantly, she was devoted to her family. As you now deal with the pain of her loss, know that others are thinking of you and holding you close in their hearts.

Condolence: We were shocked to read of Carole's passing and express our deepest condolences to the Lesar and Rumball families. We are unable to express our sympathies in person as we are out of the country. I first met Carole through her Mum over 40 years ago and every encounter since has featured her great zest for life and learning. We both have very fond memories of hikes, zodiac tours, meals and drinks together aboard the Ocean Endeavour on our Arctic cruise in 2015. Carole's energy and enthusiasm to absorb all that could be learned on that great voyage was amazing. We will miss her greatly. Our sympathies to all of her family. Hope and Jim Marchbank.

Condolence: I present my most sincere condolences to the family for their great loss, and in particular, Jennifer, for the huge loss of your grandmother. A loving grandmother is one of the greatest blessing in life. You have a great role model in Carole. May she live forever in your heart and soul.

Condolence: I am so saddened by Carol's passing. Our friendship goes back to 9th grade where we formed a special bond. My entire family loved her. When she married Joe our friendship grew even more. These memories will last forever. She had more spunk and humour and was a joy to be around. What I loved most about her was her intelligence her dedication to her family and community. She loved people and brought joy and happiness to everyone. We lost one of the good ones. I am so sorry that her recent plans to visit us in Florida will not happen. We will miss her dearly.

Condolence: Our thoughts and prayers are with the family at the difficult time.Carole was a terrific supporter of her community.She was a mentor to many and gave much of herself to help others succeed.Above all else she was a terrific cousin.She will be greatly missed.

Condolence: Carole was a valued member of the Sudbury Arts Council and a friend to all. She is missed by all and we extend our deepest sympathy to all her family. Sincerely, Linda Cartier

Condolence: My condolences for Carole's family and close friends. I had the privilege of collaborating with Carole on the Sudbury Arts Council and thoroughly enjoyed her enthusiasm and brillance. She was a top supporter for me at Wordstock Sudbury Literary Festival. Incredible woman who I admired for her trailblazing, energy and generosity and will really miss her.

Condolence: On behalf of the Board and staff of the Art Gallery of Sudbury, we express our sincere condolences to Carole's family and friends. Carole was a positive and vibrant force for creative transformation in Greater Sudbury, and we benefited tremendously from her voluntary service on the Board of Directors of the Art Gallery of Sudbury. She will be sorely missed.

Condolence: From her colleagues at RTO/ERO (Retired Teachers of Ontario/Les enseignantes et enseignants retraités de l’Ontario) to Carol‘s family - we know that your best comfort will come from the telling of her life’s stories by those who knew the joy of her presence in their lives, including her students and staff members. Carol’s name has been added to our In Memoriam. She will be remembered at our next meeting and a donation will be made to the RTO/ERO Foundation in her name. Goodwill RTO/ERO Sudbury/Manitoulin District 4

Condolence: Heartfelt condolences on the passing of Carole. We were in Gr. 1 and two together ( was Judy Tammi then.) And I too was a teacher. Carole was a well respected person and professional. She will be sorely missed.