Carol Elaine Rayburn
Obituary

Carol Rayburn, 80 years old, passed away peacefully in Los Alamitos, California, surrounded by the love of her family. She was born in Vancouver, Washington, in 1945 to Victoria and Harry (Doc) Isbelle. Carol graduated from Cal State Long Beach with a degree in Home Economics but found her passion and went on to lead an award-winning career in real estate.  She was determined, warm, generous, and had an unmistakable, contagious laugh.

Fittingly, Carol—whom her mother lovingly nicknamed her “Christmas Carol”—adored everything about Christmas. She kicked off each holiday season by watching her sons put up the Christmas tree (some might say “overseeing”), making sure every detail was just right. She took great joy in choosing the perfect gifts for her family and, as the years passed, watching that family grow—squeezing a few more loved ones onto the stairs each Christmas Day for their treasured annual family photo.  For decades, she also made her homemade fudge by hand, joyfully delivering it to her clients on special plates—a sweet tradition that brought a little holiday cheer to so many.

Carol had a deep faith that grounded her through every season of life. She found her peace in the garden, with her hands in the soil, and her joy on the sand and snow— few things made her happier than a bonfire at the beach or skiing in Mammoth with the people she loved. She had simple, steadfast pleasures too: Neil Diamond playing in the background (and her family lovingly singing along whenever Sweet Caroline came on), a box of See's Candy within reach, cuddling up to watch a movie (especially ones with Kevin Costner), and one of her greatest joys, cooking (sometimes dancing) in the kitchen with her family.

A Career That Redefined Excellence

Professionally, Carol had one of the most extraordinary and award-winning careers in the history of Century 21. She had a remarkable gift for connecting with people. She would talk to anyone and could somehow walk away from a conversation with a stranger carrying both their phone number and their real estate needs—even if they hadn’t realized they had any when the conversation began. She used her talents to sell well over half a billion dollars in combined real estate assets, a figure that reflects not only decades of hard work, but the trust that countless families placed in her.

Carol was also a gifted mentor. Whether she was raising her five children or guiding a young real estate agent through a first sale, helping others find their footing and grow into their own success was, without question, one of her greatest passions. She had a remarkable ability to see potential in people before they could see it in themselves—and an even greater determination to make sure they didn’t give up before they discovered it.

Among Carol’s many professional honors, she was recognized as the #11 top salesperson in the United States within the Century 21 system and earned Centurion or Double Centurion honors—reserved for the top 2% of agents company-wide—nearly every year from 1982 through 2024, an extraordinary record of excellence spanning more than four decades. In 2005 and again in 2013, she received the Grand Centurion Award, Century 21’s highest production honor, achieved by only a select number of agents worldwide. She was also named a Charter Member of Century 21’s International Hall of Fame, one of only seven agents in the world to receive the distinction. In 1999, National Relocation and Real Estate Magazine named her one of the “Most Powerful Women in Real Estate,” a fitting recognition for a woman who had already become a legend in her field.

But Carol was never interested in succeeding only for herself. In the early 1990s, she and Lou Rosenkranz, purchased Century 21 Astro, building on her success as a top-producing agent and her desire to make a broader impact on the industry she loved. Under their leadership, the office grew to more than 100 agents and became one of the region’s premier brokerages, earning numerous Century 21 honors, including Gold Medallion, Centurion Office, and Double Centurion Office distinctions. The office was, in many ways, an extension of Carol herself: ambitious, high-achieving, and built around helping others succeed.

That same instinct carried far beyond her own office. Carol became a sought-after speaker within the Century 21 organization, traveling for years to share her experience, energy, and hard-earned lessons with real estate professionals across the country. For Carol, sharing what she knew was simply another way of helping someone else find their footing.

Ultimately, however, Carol’s legacy cannot be measured in awards alone. It lives in the agents she mentored who went on to build successful careers of their own; in the children and grandchildren she raised to believe in themselves; and in the countless people who walked away from a conversation with Carol believing they were capable of a little more than they had thought.

Carol was preceded in death by her parents Harry Isbelle and Victoria Isbelle, as well as her brother Theodore “Teddy” Isbelle. Carol is survived by her daughter, Mindy (Mark), her four sons, Joshua (Allison), Patric (Kathleen), Mathew (Brittany), and Daniel, and six grandchildren who adored their Granny – Jacob, Dylann, Logann, Luca, Cole and Tyler.  Tough as nails but also the most sentimental heart of the family who would tear up when remembering sweet moments.  She was the one who showed up, who believed in them, and who never stopped teaching them how to grow.

We’ll be looking for you among the butterflies, Ma.

A celebration of life will be held on Tuesday Aug.18th at 10:00am at New Life Community Church, 18800 Norwalk Blvd, Artesia, CA.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Carol’s memory to the Adaptive Sports Program at Mammoth Mountain. Support Access Mammoth | Ways to Give & Get Involved