Carolyn J. France

"And it will come about that whoever calls on the Name of the Lord will be delivered........."

Joel 2:32

Taped inside the cover of Carolyn's Bible

Carolyn Joyce France was delivered to her eternal life May 10, 2026. Devout wife, legendary grandmother and one of the all-time greats of motherhood, her Mother’s Day departure marked the fulfillment of her life’s purpose.

Born the eleventh and youngest child of a Warrensburg farm family, Carolyn learned early the simple contentment of a dedicated work ethic and faithful compassion. Her parents took care of their own and tried to keep a little something back for passersby in need along Missouri Highway 13. Her childhood lay seeds of a diligent kindness and peace that continued perennial in her nature through all seasons of her life. Carolyn adored porch time on the farm with her brothers Richard and Bob, listening to the family radio.

In 1950 she moved to Kansas City with her parents and a few sisters. She attended Paseo High School and joined Westport Presbyterian Church. At youth group, she caught the fancy of a young Lee France, 6 months her junior, who took her out for malts in his ‘36 Plymouth and courted her long distance during her year at college in Warrensburg. He made her his wife on June 10, 1955.

The two enjoyed a year and a half of newlywed bliss before Lee was drafted for domestic service to the Korean War. In September 1958 he received a three-day pass and returned home to meet their first child. In 1966 they settled into the Overland Park house where they raised their six children, and remained through retirement. They quickly found Knox Presbyterian Church, a congregation of families. Carolyn joined Women’s Circle, sang in the choir, and when her children aged into the church’s active youth group and youth choir she and her husband volunteered as youth sponsors. Knox Presbyterian reciprocated Carolyn’s devotion throughout her life and continues to support her family through Carolyn’s passing.

Carolyn loved church, the community she found there, singing in the choir, reading her bible and scripture devotionals. She loved her neighbors, knowing her neighbors by name, a deep-summer BLT made with the neighbor’s tomatoes and exchanging holiday treats at Christmas. She loved chocolate covered cherries, chocolate covered most things, sending and receiving greeting cards, travelling with her husband, jewelry from her husband, dressing up, well-manicured nails, her Mother’s Ring of two sapphires, two emeralds, an amethyst for her baby boy and a peridot for her baby girl. She loved the family dogs, her grandkids, neighborhood walks with her grandkids or family dogs, sleepovers with the grandkids, playing cards, her great grandkids, playing boardgames with the grandkids or great grandkids. She loved sitting on the back deck glider listening to the birds or having a chat with her kids, grandkids or great grandkids, waving to her neighbors, listening to the birds, watching the birds at the feeder from the window while cleaning up the kitchen. As much as it was part of her daily life, we hope she liked good earnest work.

Carolyn spent her life showing loving kindness. She excelled at listening, thinking of others far more often than she thought of herself, fixing stuff before anyone ever mentioned it was broken, expressions of encouragement, often in written form, and blowing kisses— especially farewell from the porch. Ask her grandkids what she was good at and they answer unanimously: Faith. Love. Paying attention. Cooking and baking. Just being there. Then they’ll launch into their favorites from Grandma’s kitchen: spaghetti and meatballs, cashew chicken salad, meatloaf, fried chicken, La Tiara tacos with Spanish Gardens sauce, green jello salad, jello-poke cake, angel food cake with strawberries, coconut meringue pie, cinnamon sugar sticks made from left-over pie crust, any-and-all of Grandma’s cookies. They all remember, waving farewell from the porch.

Carolyn was preceded in death by four brothers, five sisters, her mother and father. She is survived by her husband Lee, already missing her kiss, sister Wilma Staehle, son Ken (wife Suzette, daughters Nicki and Kei); son George; son Ron (wife Jackie, daughter Erin); daughter Linda (husband John, children Heather and Cory); daughter Shari (husband Vince); daughter Kristin (daughter Lucy), 4 great grandchildren, countless nieces, nephews and greats of the same who can all confirm the legend of her kindness, her generosity and her faith.

Lee and his children will receive family and friends from 1-2 pm followed by a Celebration of Carolyn’s life at 2pm Monday June 22, 2026 at Knox Presbyterian Church, 9595 W 95th St, Overland Park, KS 66212. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages contributions to Knox Presbyterian Youth Group, BrightFocus Foundation in support of macular degeneration research, and the Cerebral Palsy Foundation.