Kala R. Herlands, 87, died February 12, 2012 at Carol Woods Retirement Community in Chapel Hill. Kala was born in Wilson, NC, the daughter of Emil and Miriam Oettinger Rosenthal. Raised in Goldsboro, NC, she graduated from Goldsboro High School and completed her BA with a major in English from Swarthmore College in 1944. She held teaching credentials in both California and North Carolina and a certificate in Early Childhood Education.

In 1943, Kala married Herbert Spencer Herlands of New York City. They lived in Dayton, OH and New York City during the early years of their marriage. Kala and Herb moved to California in 1952 and spent the next 23 years in Fullerton and Santa Ana, CA, where they raised their three children. After Herb's death in 1975, Kala returned to Goldsboro in 1976, where she lived until 2000. That year, she relocated to Carol Woods in Chapel Hill, where she lived until her death.

Kala taught pre-school, kindergarten, and elementary school and evaluated writing samples for the Educational Testing Service. In Goldsboro, she developed, coordinated, and presented the North Drive School Art Print Program, for which she received the Volunteer of the Year award in 1994.

Kala served on the board of directors for the Wayne Memorial Hospital and the Wayne Community College Foundation Board of Trustees. She was a member of the Community Arts Council and worked with the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP). She received the NC Governor's Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service in October 1986.

At Carol Woods Kala was active in the Companion Corps, Welcome Committee, served on the board of directors of the Carol Woods Children Center, and regularly re-shelved books in the library. She attended Judea Reform Temple, prepared fruit salad every Wednesday at the Interfaith Council, and assisted in the elementary schools of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School District.

Kala was an enthusiastic athlete from early childhood, when she won awards as a "Midget" swimmer, to days before her death, when she played her regular weekly bocce and ping pong games. In between were years of round robin tennis, swimming at the beach and in the pool, bowling, and, in retirement, multiple trips to the local, NC and National Senior Games, where she competed in croquet and ping pong. She enjoyed gardening, music, travel and art.

Kala had a gift for friendship – making friends, and keeping them for the rest of her life. Well into her last decade she still spent beach weeks with friends she made in her high school days, and traveled to Europe with friends from college.

She is survived by her children Charlie (Roz) of Galloway Township, NJ, Al (Pat) of Oriental, NC, Emily Sandersfeld (Don) of Redondo Beach, CA; grandchildren Jason (Gen) of Philadelphia, PA, Ryan (Nancy) of Eugene, OR, Michael (Lindsey) of Chesapeake, VA, Robin (Cory) of Henderson, NV, and two great-grandchildren.

A celebration of Kala's life will be held Saturday, March 3, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. at the Carol Woods Assembly Hall, 750 Weaver Dairy Road, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

In accordance with her commitment to health research and education, she arranged for her body to be donated to the UNC Medical School for its use in teaching and research.

Memorial gifts may be made to Planned Parenthood Federation of America, 434 West 33rd St, New York, NY 10001.