Grandmaster Carol Middleton, a 7th degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do and a national figure in martial arts and women’s self-defense for more than 50 years, died on Aug. 11, 2026, in Chantilly, Va. She was 78 years old.
In 1975, Grandmaster Middleton moved to the Washington, D.C., area to train with Ki Whang Kim. In Mr. Kim’s school, Grandmaster Middleton forged the way for other women martial artists. She continued to study with him until his death in 1993, and shared with her students his school’s focus on patience, training, and character.
This was excerpted from the full obituary, which you can read on legacy.com.
Carol Middleton