Carol Ruth Mead

Carol was born March 23, 1942, in Saint Anthony’s Hospital, Hays, Ellis County, Kansas. She was the second of Elden Charles Johnson and Thelma Irene Johnson (born Page) three daughters.

Carol began her life living with her family south of Luray, Kansas on a farm. She began her education at the Amherst Rural School, went to Luray Elementary and Luray High School until the end of her sophomore year. She went to Waldo High School in her Junior and Senior years and was a Graduate of the Class of 1960.

Carol was a soprano singer and sang solos with the high school glee club. She was also a member of the United Methodist Church and 4-H club in Luray.

In 1960, Carol went to Kansas University and graduated with the Class of 1964. She earned a BS degree in Home Economics and retail marketing. Later, she went to Fort Hays University for her Teaching certificate.

Carol met her husband, Gerald Dean Mead at the Luray High School Carnaval, when she was a freshman at Luray and he was a junior at Waldo High School. They enjoyed dancing and going to movies during their high school years.

Carol was blessed with three children: Margaret Ruth, Scott Edward, and Alice Jane.

She enjoyed sewing and made most of the children’s clothes when they were young.

Her focus was on parenting the children, but later when all the children were older and in school, she began working in retail.

Carol was a homemaker in Evanston, Illinois, Raleigh, North Carolina, Ridgefield, Connecticut, and in Clearwater, Florida.

Carol enjoyed going to Art Museums, Broadway shows and Baseball Games.

Survivors include her husband, Gerald; her three children Margaret Mead, Addison, Texas, Scott Mead, Tampa, Florida, Alice Hammer (Michael) Palm Harbor, Florida; grandson, Ryan Michael Hammer, Palm Harbor, Florida; two sisters, Kathryn Anne Prince (Maurice), Carbondale, Illinois and Doris Elaine Johnson, Luray, Kansas. Her survivors also include many cousins, Nieces and Nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks to kindly consider donating in Carol’s name to the Tunnels to Towers Foundation, https://t2t.org/donate/.

A graveside service for Carol will be held Saturday, August 30, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM at Sylvan Abbey Funeral Home, 2853 SUNSET POINT RD, CLEARWATER, FL 33759.