Carole Jean Kirk

Carbon County native and long-time businesswoman Carole Jean Kirk, 79, died Monday, Dec. 3, 2012, at the McKee Hospice Center in Loveland, Colo., following a year-long battle with cancer.

A memorial service is slated for Saturday, Dec. 15, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Thomas Episcopal Church at the corner of 6th and Pine streets in Rawlins. Arrangements are under the direction of Shirley Bates, life-long friend, with Gerald O’Connell, lay reader, to conduct the service. A coffee and cake reception will follow in the church fellowship hall. Interment of her cremains will be held at a later date.

Carole Jean Holler was born Nov. 24, 1933, in Rawlins to William Corbett Holler and Donna Irene (Countryman) Holler and grew up in Rawlins. She was a 1951 graduate of Rawlins High School and then attended Barnes Business College in Denver. She returned to Rawlins and worked as a cocktail waitress and bookkeeper.

She was married to Neal A. Kirk Feb. 13, 1955, in Las Vegas, Nev., and spent one-and-a half years there before returning to Rawlins where she and Neal opened a locker plant. The couple also ran an ice house and spent many years owning and operating a beverage distributorship. Following the sale of the distributorship, she embarked on an embroidery business in Rawlins.

The couple moved into their new home at the Saratoga Inn in 1998 and Carole was employed at Shively Hardware and later did independent bookkeeping jobs.

She was a member of Ladies of the Shrine and traveled extensively with her husband to Shrine events including regular visits to the Shrine Crippled Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, as well as assisting with the chariot races in both Rawlins and Saratoga.

She was preceded in death by her parents, a granddaughter, and an uncle and aunt, Roscoe and Nadine Countryman, who helped raise her.

Survivors include her husband of 58 years, three daughters: Janet (Tim) Ryser, of Cheyenne; Debra (Jon) Anderson, of Saratoga; and Dr. Karen (Bob) Ouzts, of Cheyenne; grandchildren: Nick (Jody) Pavlica, of Cheyenne; Joee Rain Pavlica, of Denver; Dayshia Koroulis, of Denver; John Paul (Katy) Medina, of Cheyenne; Damion Medina, of Cheyenne and Ashley Medina, of Casper; great-grandchildren: Brody, Crus and Tatum Medina and Dillon McCoy, all of Cheyenne; plus a cousin Donna Irene Burge, of Oregon.

Most members of her family gathered Thanksgiving week at the Kirk home in Ft. Collins, Colo., to celebrate her birthday and to give thanks for her life.

Persons wishing to make donations in her memory may do so to the Shrine Hospital through the Korein Temple, Box 640, Rawlins, WY 82301, phone (307) 324-4350.

 

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