Paula Caroline 'Carol' Breining of Waitsfield, Vermont, passed away unexpectedly on January 24, 2026. She was 61.

She is survived by her daughters, Claudia (Patrick) Kelley and Alex Randrup; her grandchildren, Leo Kelley, Max Kelley, and Eva Kelley; her mother, Bobbie Hansen; her brothers Chris (Elizabeth) Hansen, Allan (Lynn) Hansen, and Danny (Lisa) Hansen; and many nieces and nephews.

Carol was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1965 and was raised by her parents Rik and Bobbie Hansen. She attended Roland Park Country School, where she made lifelong friends. She traveled around the world with Semester at Sea before graduating from the University of Maryland.

She helped build a strong and vibrant community in the Baltimore neighborhood of Hampden, where she lived and ran her store Mud and Metal for over 20 years. She had a unique eye and a passion for bringing functional art into people's lives.

For the last six years of her life, she loved living in Vermont and being a part of the daily lives of her grandchildren, who knew her as Grandma.

Carol is remembered by those who loved her for her beautiful smile and joyful laughter. She will be deeply missed by her family and friends.