Caroline Rehbock Harter, 82, passed away at French Hospital Medical Center in San Luis Obispo on February 8, 2020, surrounded by her daughters.  She was a long-time resident of Atascadero and met her husband of 55 years, Jerry Harter, at Atascadero High School.  They married in 1959 in San Luis Obispo.  Carol graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she was a member of Alpha Delta Pi and was awarded Outstanding Senior.  She later received her master’s degree in education from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.  She began her long career in education as a physical education teacher and served as guidance counselor and then principal at Atascadero Junior High School from 1972-1988.  Carol and Jerry had three daughters, Chris Harter (Ed Hazel) of Monterey, CA, Jacque (John) Guevara of Salem OR, and Lorrie Harter of Seaside, CA, and two grandsons, Janson and Jaren Guevara of Salem, OR.  She is also survived by cousins Jackie Ward, of Boise, Idaho and Joe Tolman of San Antonio, TX.   She was preceded in death by her parents, Kettner and Caroline Rehbock, brother John Rehbock and husband Jerry, all of Atascadero.  

Carol was an active member of the community in Atascadero throughout her life.  She belonged to the Atascadero Elks Lodge, serving as their first female Exalted Ruler in 2009-2010, and continued assisting the lodge in multiple capacities until her death.  She and Jerry were awarded Elks Couple of the Year twice. She officiated as president of the Atascadero Quota Club in 1983-84 and was awarded Quotarian of the Year for 1984-85.  In 1983, the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce recognized Carol as Professional of the Year, and she was a Rotary Club Paul Harris Fellow.  From 1984-1985 she served as president of the San Luis Obispo Region XIII American School Counselor Association, was recognized for Administrative Excellence in Public Education in 1985-86 and was regional director of ASCA for 1986-87.  

Carol was a devoted daughter, sister, wife, mother and grandmother, always kind, compassionate and caring.  She and Jerry loved sailing on Huntington Lake in the Sierras, backpacking, hiking and camping, and travelling cross-country in their RV.  She made friends wherever she went and touched the lives of thousands of coworkers and students.  She will be deeply missed and always remembered.  

Services will be held at 2 pm on Sunday, March 29, 2020, at the Atascadero Elks Lodge, 1516 El Camino Real.  Donations in Carol’s memory may be made to the Elks National Foundation, The Jimmy V Foundation for cancer research, or the American Red Cross.