Carol Jean (Orpen) Kingery

Carol was born in Kensett, Iowa, on March 25th, 1934, the youngest of two daughters born to Ida and Otto Orpen. As a child she was baptized and attended the Elk Creek Lutheran church, and she spent her growing up years in Kensett until meeting and marrying Roland Amos Kingery, and moving to Greene, Iowa. Then came a move to Clear Lake, Iowa, and finally, a move to Houston, Texas in 1959 - and they’ve been Texas residents ever since.

Her and Roland were both members of Safari Club International (Ron was one of the founding members) and part owners in Greenlyn Gallery, where she did the custom art framing and sales. She also had her own business doing blinds, window treatments and custom bedding. She ended up doing window treatments for Lowes as well; eventually retiring from there in 2010.

Carol loved to travel, and she had visited every continent except Antarctica. And she LOVED and to fish. She was proud of saying that her prize fish was bigger than Roland’s - his sail fish is mounted and hanging in the waiting room of Gringos on I-45, but hers (the bigger one!) is mounted and hanging in the seafood market on Rayford Road in the Woodlands!

Carol is the proud Mom of Michelle (John) Hoover, Randall (Julie) Kingery, Kevin Kingery, and Leslie (Roy) Grimet.

She is also the proud Grandmother of Shannon Marie Keyes, Ryan Neal Grimet, Chad Allen Grimet, Randal Alan Kingery Jr., Christopher Michael Hoover, Allison Marie Hoover, and Joey Kingery, and the proud Great Grandmother of Holland Keyes, Memphis Keyes, Nolan Grimet, Casen Grimet, Zoey Grimet and Cooper Kingery.

She is preceded in death by her parents Otto and Ida Orpen, and her sister Arlene Barkema.

A visitation for Carol will be held Thursday, September 3, 2020 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM at American Heritage Funeral Home, 10710 Veterans Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77038. A celebration of life will occur Thursday, September 3, 2020 from 11:30 AM to 12:15 PM, 10710 Veterans Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77038. A committal service will occur Thursday, September 3, 2020 from 12:30 PM to 12:45 PM at Houston National Cemetery, 10410 Veterans Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77038.