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Carolyn was born in Kirksville, Missouri on March 31, 1950. She was the only child of Charles Carroll and Nora Faye VanSickle (May). Her mother died when she was five years old. Her paternal and maternal grandparents lived a few miles apart on farms near Hurland, Missouri and they took turns caring for Carolyn a few weeks at a time until her father re-married in 1959. Carolyn's stepmother, Lavon, who was a home economics teacher, was very influential in the course of her life. When Carolyn was fourteen, her half-sister Leann, was born.
Carolyn graduated Salutatorian of her high school class at Knox County High School in 1968. That fall she enrolled in what is now Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri. She majored in vocational home economics education, with the intention of earning a Master's Degree in Interior Design at Missouri State University. She worked as a book mender at the campus library and attended classes all year round until 1971.
On October 10, 1971, she married Richard Allen (Rick) Wilhite, in Brashear, Missouri. They lived in a Kansas City suburb, then moved to St. Joseph, Missouri, where Rick managed 7-Eleven Stores. When Rick was promoted, they moved back to Kansas City. Carolyn gave birth to their two children within 11 months. Their daughter Lori Anne, was born on December 4, 1972, and their son, Brian Allen was born two months pre-mature on November 22, 1973. Then Rick began to work for Sears, and their young family moved to Marshall, Missouri in 1974. Rick was promoted to manager and was transferred by Sears to their store in Woodward, Oklahoma in 1975. They lived in Mooreland, Oklahoma until they purchased their home in Woodward in 1977. She and Rick owned the Sears store in Woodward from 1991 to 1993. Carolyn worked for TG&Y from 1978 to 1985. In 1985 she decided to finish her college education, and commuted to and from classes at Northwest Oklahoma State University in Alva. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Education in 1988. That fall she began working at Oklahoma Action Rehabilitation Center (OARC) as a Program Coordinator. She devoted herself to the men she served for 23 years.
But Carolyn's greatest joy and source of pride and satisfaction was her family. As a proponent of education, she was proud that both of her children were college graduates. As a believer in the importance of family, she was proud that her children had long, solid marriages and families of their own. She considered her children's spouses to be like her own son and daughter. Of course, she adored her five grandchildren. Carolyn enjoyed being in the role of matriarch at family gatherings.
Carolyn was baptized at the age of sixteen. She was an active member of the Brashear Community Bible Church, where she and Rick were married. But in mid-life Carolyn began to question organized religion, and sought to become a spiritual person instead of a religious person. She embraced the principals of Christian Deism and the New Spirituality. Author and teacher, Neale Donald Walsh, became her spiritual mentor. Carolyn requested that her memorial services not be performed by a church minister.
Carolyn's spirit left her body and returned Home on February 3, 2016 at the Woodward Hospital. She is survived by her husband Rick; their daughter, Lori Juttner and husband, Gene, their children, Alyssa and Aaron, of Woodward; and their son, Brian Allen and wife Amber, and their daughters, Brianna and Bridget and son Braxton, of Cherokee, Oklahoma. Also surviving are her half-sister, Carroll Leanne Boxerman, D.O., of Quincy, Illinois; two nephews and a niece.She was preceded in death by her parents and her grandparents, Bernard and Nora VanSickle and Charles F. and Mollie May.
Carolyn wanted to be remembered as more than her biography. Few people actually knew her. Her mother's early death launched Carolyn on a lifelong quest to understand the purpose and meaning of life and death. She was a "late bloomer", and didn't pursue her own interests until much after her children grew up and left home. She had many "passions". She loved to learn, study, research, analyze and think. She enjoyed solving logic puzzles, and in her later years, read two to four non-fiction books each month. People knew her to be a "cat lover", but loved animals in general. She loved listening to the "oldies"music of the 60's, 70's and 80's. She loved to surround herself with color, her favorite being yellow.
She enjoyed interior decorating, especially for the major holidays. She took pride in preparing and serving holiday meals to her family. She loved her little house, which served her and Rick well for most of their years together. She liked to "dress up" and to express herself with the clothing she wore. She and Rick loved nature, and together over many years they built their own back yard "paradise". Their garden was featured in HGTV's magazine in 2006. She learned to sew at an early age, and made her own dresses for her eighth grade graduation, high school proms, and wedding; and later her daughter's bridal gown. She sewed many decorative items for her and Lori's homes including her first grandchild's nursery. She taught herself to crochet at the age of 38, and embroidered during most of her life. She took pride in painting landscapes in oils. She also liked to draw and design things, including clothing for herself and her family. History, architecture, historic homes, family vacations, and the cabin in Arkansas appealed to her. She became interested in genealogy, and researched her and Rick's family trees. She was suprised and proud to learn that her ancestors included historic figures such as Mark Anthony, Charlemagne, and John Sevier, who was the first governor of Tennessee. Her favorite movies were "The Patriot", "Titanic", "The Green Mile", " Signs", "Forest Gump", and "Steel Magnolias". Her favorite books were The Conversation With God series.
Carolyn loved God and spiritual principals taught by Jesus. Because of her deep spiritual beliefs, Carolyn asked that her final memorial service not be an expression of grief, but a joyous celebration of life.
Obituary written by Carolyn Wilhite
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