Carolyn Williams

Carolyn Goben Williams, 83, passed away March 3 in her sleep at home with her devoted and loving husband of 69 years, Gerald Thomas Williams, at her side.

She is survived by daughter Janet Williams Garabedian and son-in-law Jack Garabedian of Frankfort; daughter Karen Williams Goldie and son-in-law Jim Goldie of Henderson; son Eric Williams of The Gold Coast, Australia; granddaughter Kelsey Minton and grandson-in-law Alex Minton of Owensboro; grandson Jacob Goldie of Henderson; grandson Finn Welsh-Williams of The Gold Coast, Australia; sister-in-law Karen Goben of Spokane, Washington; and niece Crystal Imboden of Waukee, Iowa.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Blanche Stone Mortis and Charles Goben, both of Henderson; her brother, Gene Goben of Spokane, Washington; and her sister Brenda Stubblefield of Clive, Iowa.

The family would like to acknowledge the two great influences in Mom’s life. In her early years, Mom’s rock and guiding star was her grandmother, known always as “Grandma Goben,” who taught her morals, the Bible and filled her heart with love. The other is our Dad, who has been at her side since they were teens. She was the love of his life and his devotion to her was beyond compare. To the end, they held hands and he sang love songs to her every day.

Mom was kind and loving and a very strong woman. She was always for the underdog. She had a sharp wit and a great sense of humor and made us laugh every day. Mom was generous and giving. She was an avid flower gardener and loved to decorate (and redecorate) the house. Mom was a skilled seamstress and made all of our clothes as kids. Her co-workers called her “Mom” because she took care of everybody. She loved to travel and was determined that her children would know more about the world than where they lived. Every spring at the supper table, she would start talking about where we were going that year. Our trips were a mix of history, gardens, amusement parks, beaches, mountains and museums. When we were kids, we traveled on a shoe string, but Mom knew how to stretch a dollar, and we always had a great time, She and Dad continued to travel in their retirement – they visited most states and several countries. They loved the national parks, antique malls and junk shops.

Mom was a lifelong liberal Democrat and just days ago was discussing the political news of the day with knowledge and clarity. She knew what she believed and why she believed it and didn’t need social media to tell her what to think.

Her last year was difficult with an unending series of doctor’s visits, procedures, scans, scopes and hospital stays. But through it all, she never complained or felt sorry for herself. Her concern was how everything was affecting Dad and the rest of the family. That’s the way Mom was. She was our rock and guiding star.

At her request, services will be private.