Mrs. Carole E. (Eckman) Rau, 88, of Waynesboro, PA, passed away peacefully on Friday, February 20, 2026, at Chambersburg Hospital.
Born May 18, 1937, in Baltimore, MD, she was the daughter of the late Warren B. and Grace (Zepp) Eckman.
Carole graduated from Eastern High School in Baltimore City and continued her education at Gettysburg College, earning her Master’s degree in Social Work in 1958.
That same year, on September 6, 1958, she married Clifton A. Rau in Baltimore, beginning a devoted partnership that would span nearly seven decades.
Carole dedicated her professional life to caring for others. She served as Director of the Medical Social Work Department at Howard County General Hospital for 25 years, retiring in 1997. Intelligent, compassionate, and steady in her strength, she was respected not only for her leadership but for the dignity and kindness she extended to patients and colleagues alike.
For the past 22 years, Carole and her husband made their home at Quincy Village, where she remained active and engaged in the community. She found joy in singing in the choir and expressed her creativity through flower arranging, earning several ribbons at the Howard County Fair. Whether in her profession, her church, or her home, Carole brought grace and quiet excellence to all she did.
She was a faithful member of Solomon’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chambersburg and a member of Delta Gamma.
In addition to her beloved husband, Clifton, she is survived by two children, Glenn B. Rau and his wife, Kathleen, of Willow Hill, PA, and Melinda R. Hanley of Glenelg, MD, along with extended family members who will cherish her memory.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her sister, Beatrice “Bee Bee” Squire.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 A.M., on Saturday, March 14, 2026, at Solomon’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 4856 Wayne Rd., Chambersburg, PA, with Pastor Michael Allwein and Pastor Julia Brown officiating. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service, in the church. A memorial luncheon will follow in the church fellowship hall. She will be buried at Grindstone Hill Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Solomon’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 4856 Wayne Rd., Chambersburg, PA 17202.
Grove-Bowersox Funeral Home, Waynesboro, is handling the arrangements. Online condolences may be expressed at www.bowersoxfuneralhomes.com.
