Carole Joyce Whomble

Carole Joyce Whomble was born September 3, 1940, in Wray, Colorado, to Chester and Doris Whomble.  She was the older of their two girls.  She grew up on the family farm five miles south of Beecher Island.  She came into this world full of curiosity and with an adventurous spirit, and put those traits to use!

Carole was a tomboy from the get-go.  She and Judy spent much time working with their dad on the family farm.  They were “his boys” and that suited Carole just fine.  She started her formal education in a one room school house in Lansing Valley.  She could often be found playing baseball and football with the boys.  She was quite a baseball pitcher! Carole accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior at the age of 9 at a Revival at the Lansing Valley School, and was baptized in Landsman Creek south of Idalia.    After the school consolidation took place, Carole attended school at Armel, and then went to Idalia for her secondary schooling, graduating in 1958.  She later added two Associate’s degrees becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse as well as a Physical Therapy Assistant using both degrees in future jobs.

On October 26, 1958, Carole married her high school sweetheart, Glenn J. McKie.  They moved to the Floerke farm south of Idalia where they spent the short years of their marriage.  A special little blessing arrived during these years, Daren Gail Whomble.  He was born September 22, 1965 in Burlington, Colorado.

Carole was active throughout her life in the community and church.  She was in the 4-H club as a member, and later taught in 4-H.  She was part of the Beecherettes ladies’ singing group, and taught a variety of music lessons at Virgil Reed’s Music store in Wray.  She worked as a secretary for Larry Mich in his accounting firm.  She earned an electronics certificate in Phoenix, Arizona, and worked in a number of places as a tech.  She spent several years as the Police Dispatcher in both Wray and Julesburg during which she experienced a scary hit over the head with a gun while on duty.  And we all remember the rattlesnake bite she suffered.  She had her share of traumatic events!

Carole’s later years were spent working as activities director at Cedardale, and as an LPN at Hillcrest Care Center.  She also worked numerous places as a PTA.  She had a heart for helping elderly patients, and a creative talent for inventing methods to get her patients to willingly cooperate in therapy.  She was proud of these years as a nurse and therapist, and particularly proud that she was working at the Hillcrest Center on opening day.

God gifted Carole with an ability to write poetry and music.  She played several instruments to include the piano, organ, guitar, violin, and harmonica. And we will not forget… she played the spoons!

Growing up, the family took many fishing trips to Jackson Hole, Wyoming and the northwest coast salmon fishing. Carole enjoyed a hunting trip with her dad to Central America.   She always enjoyed hunting and fishing, to include hunting snipes!  She and her sister Judy took several trips together.  On one trip they invited their mother along to visit Europe in search of family genealogy records.

God called Carole home on July 2, 2023, from the Hillcrest Care Center in Wray, Colorado.

She is preceded in death by her father, Chester Whomble; her mother, Doris Whomble; her son, Daren Gail Whomble; her brother-in-law, Arthur Rowe Shively; and her nephew, Kelly Ray Shively.

She is survived by her only sister, Judy Dale Shively of Idalia; nephew Kevin Shively and wife Becky of Beecher Island; niece Kim Bowman and husband Mark of Castle Rock; niece Keri Kennedy and husband James of Huntsville, Alabama, as well as a number of cousins, great nieces and nephews, and many friends.  Carole was loved and will be deeply missed.  She touched many lives and leaves a rich heritage.

Well done thou good and faithful servant!

Funeral services were held Monday, July 10, 2023, 2:00 p.m. at the Beecher Island Sunday School in Beecher Island, Colorado with Jack Soehner officiating.

Interment was held in the Grandview Cemetery in Wray, Colorado.

Memorials may be made to the Beecher Island Sunday School.

Schmidt-Jones Funeral Home was entrusted with the arrangements.