Carrying Forward a Spirit of Hope
From 1998 to 2020, Carole served as Head of School at Briarwood and Tuttle. For more than two decades, she carried forward the founding vision of Yvonne Tuttle Streit, who established this school in 1967 so that children could learn in the way they learn best. With deep conviction, she ensured that our school remained a place where instruction was responsive, where teachers were highly trained, and where students were known personally.
Carole often referred to Briarwood and Tuttle as having a spirit of hope. She believed that when learning is unlocked, a student’s sense of dignity is restored, confidence is rebuilt, and doors that once felt closed begin to open. Teachers were encouraged to find each student’s strengths — what she called islands of competency — and to keep trying different approaches until learning clicked. Through that persistence and belief, futures were reshaped for countless students and families.
Warmth, grace, enthusiasm, and professionalism marked her leadership. Upbeat and genuinely interested in those around her, she was a natural connector, generous with encouragement and steady in her support. The potential she saw in students and teachers alike was often greater than they saw in themselves, and she had a gift for drawing out the best in others.
Her influence extended well beyond our campus. Deeply involved with the International Dyslexia Association, she served in leadership roles at both the local and national levels, including as President of the Houston Branch of IDA and later as a member of its national Board of Directors. She also served as President of the Houston Association of Independent Schools and remained an active voice in the LD school community throughout her career. Through conference presentations across Texas and the country, she contributed thoughtfully to the broader conversation around specialized education.
Most of all, her legacy lives within this community: in the leaders and teachers she shaped, in the students whose futures were changed, and in the enduring spirit of hope that remains woven into the fabric of Briarwood and Tuttle.
We are grateful for her leadership, her dedication, and the many years she gave to this school. We hold her family in our thoughts and prayers during this time.
With respect and gratitude,
Lisa Landi
Interim Head of School
The Briarwood School
Obituary
For those who would like to read more about Carole’s life and legacy, her full obituary can be found here.
We honor the life and legacy of Carole Wills, whose vision, compassion, and steadfast leadership shaped The Briarwood School and the lives of countless students and families. Mrs. Wills believed deeply in the potential of every child and in the power of a school community grounded in respect, perseverance, and love. Her impact will be felt for generations.
Gifts made in memory of Mrs. Wills will support the Carole C. Wills In Memoriam Fund, ensuring that Briarwood students continue to have access to the education she so passionately championed.
Donations may be made online here. Checks may be made payable to The Briarwood School and mailed to 12207 Whittington Drive, Houston, TX 77077. Please indicate “IMO Carole Wills” in the memo line.
For more information or to discuss additional giving options, please contact Penelope Khuri in the Advancement Office at 281-493-1070 ext. 117 or pkhuri@briarwoodschool.org.
We invite members of our community to share memories, reflections, and words of gratitude.
Reader interactions
23 Replies to “In Memory of Carole Wills”
Ms. Willis was instrumental in helping our two sons “find their path” at Briarwood. She believed in the goodness and potential of every person to thrive in the right environment and with the right learning and encouragement. She created that at Briarwood for our family and countless others. Her legacy lives on in Briarwood, Tuttle and the students who have passed through those doors better equipped to face the world, its challenges and opportunities. Thank you and God Bless.
Carole was a leader like no other I have encountered in my various careers. She was mighty yet humble, she was serious yet laughed often, and she was firm yet flexible. It was clear from the moment she hired me to the last day we spent together, that Carole was an angel in disguise. She was approachable, listened, and cared about each student and staff. I loved that she knew just enough about every teacher and staff member that she would go into each classroom and inquire about their families, children, parents or what have you to ensure the staff member felt cared for and known. In education, that was huge.
She loved telling stories of previous students and their successes. And we loved hearing them. Those stories gave us hope when we felt like we were not making a difference. She would say “not yet”. “We may not see it right now, but it will happen. Trust the process”. And we did.
Carole will be truly missed. She was the best boss I have ever had and she was also my friend. I am still here at Briarwood so as to continue her legacy of teaching students in the way that they learn best. Briarwood and Tuttle are in part, a success story due to Carole’s tenacity, her willingness to do hard things, and her overall love for the students. I will miss her very much.
Mrs. Wills advocated, believed, and heard us. Mrs. Wills saw who we were, and helped us get to where we are now. Mrs. Wills helped us wholeheartedly see that we are greater than what the world thinks. Mrs. Wills is a legacy, and a Saint along with many others that have and will always be encouraging us to reach beyond our boundaries. Only we know our true worth.
Every individual fills her own niche in time and eternity. You have certainly filled your niche here on earth and I am certain that you will continue to do so in your eternal life. You have blessed so many people in Houston with your kindness and gifts. We all stand here with gratitude and love for all you have given us.
I will remember you every time I have a corner piece of cake.
I am trying to write this through grief, memory, and gratitude all at once — and that combination makes it hard to find words, especially for someone as remarkable as Carole.
I had the privilege of being the very first person to hire Carole at Briarwood — long before anyone knew the impact she would one day have. She came to us as a piano teacher who lived nearby, and I asked her to help in the three‑year‑old class at Briarwood’s Super Camp. For those who never experienced Super Camp, imagine a joyful, chaotic zoo filled with children who had not always found success in traditional classrooms — and suddenly discovered that learning could be fun.
Carole was the champion of fun.
I don’t even remember if we paid her that first summer. What I do remember is watching her march down the hallway with three‑year‑olds running in every direction and realizing instantly that she was something extraordinary. When I discovered she could play the piano, she became the Rock Star of camp. Music poured out of her, and the children followed her like she was leading a parade.
That was the beginning of a story we all now know so well.
Carole’s attitude, her joy, and her unwavering belief that every child had the “Right to learn in the way he or she learns best” was awe‑inspiring. She became a fierce champion for students with learning differences and intellectual disabilities — not out of duty, but out of love. What started as a volunteer piano teacher blossomed into a lifetime of selfless service to every person who walked through the doors of Briarwood and Tuttle School.
Her legacy is not just in the programs she shaped or the classrooms she touched, but in the countless lives she lifted. She made children feel capable. She made parents feel hopeful. She made colleagues feel supported. And she made all of us believe that joy is a form of teaching.
Carole was a gift — to Briarwood, to generations of students, to her family (shall I mention how she absolutely loved and adored her granddaughter, Elliott?)….and to all of us who had the privilege of knowing her and working beside her.
May her memory continue to inspire the same courage, creativity, and compassion she lived every single day.
I will always remember Carole as someone who truly believed in each student and saw them as individuals. She had a gift of recognizing every student’s unique strengths and encouraging them to grow in their own way. I can still hear her saying, “Trust the process,” a simple phrase that carried so much meaning. Although each student’s journey looks different, her guidance, empathy, and leadership ensured that everyone felt seen, heard, and valued. She will be deeply missed, but her impact on the Briarwood community will be felt for many years to come.
Our story began in 1987. I was a graduating senior at The Briarwood School, and Carole had started teaching there only a year prior. Though I never sat in her classroom as a student, she possessed that rare, quiet brilliance of a true educator: she knew exactly who I was.
Even as my life took me far from my Houston roots to the landscapes of Michigan and Arizona, the pull of Briarwood remained. On every visit home, I found my way back to her. There was nothing quite like the sanctuary of Carole’s office—the immediate warmth of a welcome hug and her signature opening line: “How are you doing?” She always put the person before the professional. Of course, I never left without our little ritual. With a smile, I’d ask, “Can I take a piece from the chocolate jar?” and she would always offer a joyful, “Of course.”
In 2017, the red string pulled me all the way back home, to Houston. After earning my Master’s in Special Education at Arizona State, I reached out to Carole. Fate and timing aligned, and I stepped into my role as the TOPS teacher at Briarwood. It wasn’t just a job; it was the perfect evolution of a relationship that had shifted from student, to friend, and finally, to fellow educator.
Carole was the epitome of grace. We shared a fondness for wearing black, but she always elevated it with her signature pearl necklace—a true mark of her elegant style. To the world, she was a “mover and shaker,” a powerhouse in the dyslexia community both in Houston and nationally. Watching her lead the Houston International Dyslexia Association inspired my own path; I eventually followed in her footsteps, serving on the board and as President.
Though she is gone, she is not lost. I believe in the invisible red string—the connection that binds us to the people who change our lives. Carole’s string reached out to thousands of students, families, and educators.
Today, I carry that string. Every time I connect with a student or fellow teacher, I am extending Carole’s reach. I am living out her greatest lesson. When the path is uncertain, I simply hear her voice and remember her mantra: “Trust the process.”
Carole you are beloved forever!
My name is Kevin Duke and I’m an alumni graduate from 2002. Ms. Wills was such a kind woman, a great teacher and great principal.
Thank you for everything Ms. Wills.
Simply put – Carole Wills was a Force. She believed in every child and encouraged them to find their potential. As a parent of a child who attended Briarwood, we could not be happier in the results. Entering 3rd grade at a 1st grade level was an extreme challenge. But by 5th grade obtained grade level and above results was outstanding. This was all due to the hard work and dedication of a Force. She taught all around her on how to accomplish goals. The team at Briarwood is awesome and continue to help children with their goals. Our child flourished there and went on to attend a private high school and was successful. Then attended college and on to graduate school. A great job has been obtained and has great passion for career choice. All due to Briarwood and the Force of Mrs Wills and Trust the Process. She will be greatly missed!!
My name is Gregory Khuri and I am a Briarwood Alumni class of 2023. Carole Willis has helped made a significant impact on my life because she was the reason I went to Briarwood. I’ll never forget her kindness and compassion for other people.