Carol McCaffrey
Share
Funeral services for Carol Eller McCaffrey, 66, Lawrence, KS will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 31, 2012 at the First United Methodist Church in Lawrence. Burial will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery in Lawrence. She died on Sunday, March 25, 2012 at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.
Carol was born on June 5, 1945 in Lawrence, KS, the daughter of Leo and Dorothy Giesy Eller. She grew up in Lawrence and graduated from Lawrence High School in 1963. She attended Emporia State University for two years.
She was the longtime Director of First Impressions at KLWN and KLZR. Earlier in her career, she worked for Maupintour, Inc. and Dr. William Bayouth at the Animal Hospital of Lawrence.
She was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Lawrence.
Carol was married to Mike McCaffrey in May 1977. They later divorced.
Survivors include a son, Michael Leo McCaffrey and his companion, Erin Goedtel, of Minneapolis, MN, her husband, Marty Thomas, of Lawrence; two step-daughters, Lara Francisco, of Lawrence, KS, Carrie and husband, Ken Farrar, of Lawrence, KS, a step-son, Kent Thomas and wife, Laura Shaw Dunn, of Portland, OR, a brother, Neal and his wife, Becky Eller, of Lawrence, KS; eight step-grandchildren, Emily Thomas, Hanna Thomas, Kendall Francisco, Corbin Francisco, Carter Francisco, Jakob Farrar, Savannah Farrar, Lacey Shay Farrar; and many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.
The family will greet friends from 5:30- 7:30 p.m. Friday at Warren-McElwain Mortuary in Lawrence.
The family suggests memorials in her name to the Lawrence Humane Society or to the LMH Endowment Association for the Oncology Department and may be sent in care of the mortuary.
I met Carol while working at Maupintour in the early 70’s and from that moment on, she had a special place in my heart for her kindness, her humor and clever wit! I am grateful for her friendship. My deepest condolences to her family. She will be dearly missed.
May we all strive to be as positive as Miss Carol – our beloved Director of First Impressions at Great Plains Media, Lawrence.
We love you Carol! xoxo
Amber & Nick
I knew Carol from working at the radio station for 5 years. Carol was like a second mom to me. She would give me peps talks and was always so positive and funny. I would hang out sometimes with her after work, we would just talk about life and she would be sipping her crystal light and tequila. She was one of the coolest ladies I knew. Carol until we meet again…you get the big guys in line up there:-)
I’m so glad I was able to call Carol my friend. She may have been Director of First Impressions for our company, but she has made a lasting impression on us all!
Debbie Anderson, Corp. Office in Cape Girardeau.
I’ve known Carol for 10 years and had the pleasure to work with her TWICE! She made my day with her happy attitude and smiling face! Even after I left the radio station if I was having a bad day I could call to chat with her and she always cheered me up! I will miss our visits and my friend… I’m so proud to have known her and I will miss her so very much.
There are not enough words to due justice to the love, respect and kindness she showered upon all who knew her.
Director of First Impressions is definitely right. To see that grin every morning at the front desk every morning was always something I saw. She will not be forgotten.
Wonderful times and memories at a very young age. Love Always!3, Gary
I met Carol at Cordley School in the 5th. grade. She was very special to me then and to the rest of all the lives she touched. We have truly lost a great person. Charles Fowler
I have known Carol for decades and the tears I am shedding are part sadness and part gratitude. I am sad because I will miss her smile,laugh and warm kindness. Yet the tears are wrapped up in how grateful I am for her friendship. Carol will be missed by all of Lawrence!
We have known carol forever. We hadnt seen her in awhile, but whenever she came to mind it was always as that bubbly,cute as a button sprite known as “eller”. Our hearts hurt and she is missed.
Carol’s enthusiasm is contagious! Her smile and kindness..humor and love extended to everyone she met. We were classmates in Junior High and High School..There was never a sports night that all the beautiful Lawrence Cheerleaders were ever present to supporting the Lions teams and fans! Carol was one of the faces I will never forget. I remember when Peyton PLace was a hit movie and Carol and Clarice sat in the front row of the school music class and when the PPlace music was played..Carol fainted..she swooned into a puddle next to Clarice..Such glamorous girls!! Of course, they had the best of boyfriends!!Her legacy to her family, friends and colleagues was to fill hearts with much love..live life fully and to pass it on..She is forever present in my thoughts and will be missed. Muff in Virginia
I have known Carol since we were children. Our parents were friends so we were friends even though we went to different schools until 9th grade. Carol’s love and devotion to friendship was wonderful. I had many happy days at her house on Century Acres. She loved to tell the story that Quantrill slept in her den.
Carol was a devoted daughter who took such good care of her mother Dorothy. She has been welcomed into Heaven with many open arms. Missing her so much even though we were miles apart, she never forgot her friends.
Carol was such a wonderful lady. I knew her from earlier years at the radio station. I will remember her sparkling personality always. She never met a stranger and never forgot you even if it had been years since your last visit. What a treasure. She will be missed!
Carol will be missed. I started at KLZR in 1999. It was a time when my wife, Jenni had cancer. Carol was so supportive and helped us tremendously. I never will forget her generosity, her smile and her love for KLZR and KLWN. I leave her family and friends with this scripture:
John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
I met Carol through my sister and knew she was a special woman from the moment I met her. We became good friends as we shared a love for arts and crafts and jewelry making. Carol I will treasure the fun times spent making jewelry together! You are truly an amazing lady! Love you : )
Carol’s title at the station of “Director of First Impressions” is so well suited to the wonderful lady I always met when I came into the station! Gracious, humorous and endlessly accomodating is how I will remember her. May she rest in peace.
When I worked at Dillons, I used to see Carol all the time. She always had a smile on her face. Michael, I am so sorry for your loss. Your mom was a wonderful person!
Carol was truly a special lady. She always knew how to makes someone’s day better simply by being herself.
Coordinating times to get on Hank Booth’s show was always a pleasure and something I always looked forward to because it involved her.
My deepest sympathy to her family in memory of a very special lady.
Carrie and fam, I am so sorry to hear about your loss. You’re in my thoughts and prayers.
She had the most wonderful smile in the world. You could tell it was genuine because it started in her eyes. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family.
We have truly lost a most astonishing lady. She always made time to listen, no matter what our current misfortunes might have been. You felt better having talked with Carol. Our hearts are saddened by her death.
To Carols Family. our thoughts and prayers are with you at this sad time, may she rest in peace….Mike and Alia
I am so sorry for your loss. Carol was a great person to know. She and I went to LHS, graduated the same year. I will miss seeing her at the grocery. Karen
I first met Carol at Vinland Grade School (7 & 8th grades) at one of our intramural sports days and of course later attended LSH. She was the only one that could beat me in the 50-100 yd. dash. Man, that gal could run!!!!
I know she is missed terribly by all that was close to her.
God Bless you Carol.
To all of my family I miss you guys so much and wish I could make it down there in this time of grievance. I love you all and Aunt Carol will be missed by so many but never ever forgotten by any. Stay strong and a smile on your face bc that’s what she would want. she always had a beautiful smile on her gorgeous face!
Carol and I went to Lawrence high together. We were in Leaders club,and competed in many athletic events together.She will always be remembered as the fastest girl on the running track. I loved her dearly. My Sympathies to all her family.
So very blessed to have called her friend. My life is better for knowing her. My deepest sympathies to you Michael and Marty. I still her her laughter. Amazing
I first met Carol when we were in fourth grade together at Cordley School. We became good friends and spent many a day riding her pony up and down the pasture. She was always friendly and kind and will surely be missed by so many.
Michael, I’m so sorry for your loss. Your mom was a wonderful woman!! I’ll always remember those summers at Holiday Park Pool. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. Michele
We would like to pass along our condolences to Marty and the entire family. You will be in our thoughts. From all of us at Natural Breeze Remodeling.
I remember our “cheerleader”. She was full of life.God Bless her family and close friends.
{PSALM 23} — Cliff T.
Carol being Carol, I now can call Michael “Mike”, and I sure am going to miss her beatiful penmanship on her Christmas Cards.
We knew Carol as the cue sister of Neil’s,way back when we were all so young and she was just a teenager. She was our babysitter for a while and Phil would always remark how cute and funny she was aftr deiving her back home! We have missed seeing and knowing her for many years with our many moves around the country, but she will always be remembered and how much we liked her, and her family. Our deepest condolences to her family and especially her brother Neil, our longtime friend.
I knew Carol through my work at the Animal Hospital of Lawrence. She was such a fun and vibrant person. It always brightened my day to speak with her! She will be missed, and I offer my deepest sympathy to her family.
Carol was a ’true gem’, you loved her instantly when you met her and she always had a ’smile’ for everyone. Anyone who had the privilege of knowing her knew they had a friend for life.
There was no one better. Simply a breath of fresh air every single day and life will not be quite the same without her. Carol, we miss you already.
My brother J.T. & I knew Carol through grade school and on. I was happy to re-connect with Carol at KLWN through my job with Dg.Co. Farm Bureau. I will greatly miss her. My thoughts are with her family.
I first met Carol when we were nieghbors “way back when.” She was always a great lady. She will be missed by all her friends and relatives. My condolences to you all.
All of us at VNA are so sorry for your loss. Carol brought fun and laughter into the lives of all who knew her. We gave her a red VNA scrub shirt to wear when she went into the hospital for treatment and she told me that she felt like we were all “hugging her” and she felt so loved. I miss her. Judy Bellome
Martin,
Just want you to know you are in our thoughts and prayers and that we will continue to hold you in our hearts. Please let us know if you or your loved ones need anything.
Denise
I met Carol in the mid-1980s and spent MANY afternoons at Holiday Park Pool with Carol, Michael and my two kids. I’ll always remember her laughing – that red bathing suit – and our “therapy” group! Those were GREAT times and she was definitely our leader. My deepest condolences to Michael, Marty and the family.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Take care.
Although I’ve not been in touch with Carol for over 40 years, it is pleasing and not surprising, to know that she has continued to be the special and wonderful person that I knew in our early years.
My deepest sympathy goes out to her family.
Carol was Greatness!
I remember Carol with fond memories. We grew up together, went to school together, and graduated the same year fron Lawrence High (class of ’63). She was always full of energy and enthusiasm. Although I now live in Washington state, she always welcomed me back to town for reunions and get-togethers. My sympathy to her friends and family.
I am very sorry to hear of the passing of Carol. We graduated together in 1963. She always had a smile and always greeted me at school. May God bless her memory. Mike
I knew Carol from our Maupintour days and we had many special times. Her humor and great laugh is like no other. She fought bravely against cancer and I admire her so much. RIP -Dee
I will always remember Carol as the most genuine person I ever met. One of a kind.
I have known Carol all of her life. Her mother and my mother lived close-by in Lawrence and met when both were walking in the neighborhood and very pregnant. Our parents were friends for the rest of their lives. I am about a month older than Carol’s brother, Neal. Just today, in January, I learned that Carol had died, when trying to phone her to wish her a happy New Year. Neal, if you see this, please know that I miss her, and am mourning for her.
Jane Beach Soder
Seattle
I am lost for words in learning of Carols passing, I met carol while working out at Junk Yards Gym, we became great friends She will be missed by all who knew her, what a great person.