Kaye Kiser Craven

Kaye Craven was born in Lincolnton, NC to Bergan Webb & Nellie Stroupe Hollifield and grew up in Cherryville, NC with her parents and eight siblings. She attended Cosmetology School and owned her own hair salon Ke-La Hair Fashion with husband Charlie.

Kaye married her first husband Charles Kiser and lived in Panama while Charles was stationed there in the Army and then moved back to Cherryville where they welcomed their three children, Chuck, Liz and Dwayne.

Kaye later moved to Charlotte where the city life suited her much better and she found her love for Cosmetology and met her late husband Charlie Craven at Fred Astaire dance studio. They loved ball room dancing and enjoyed any opportunity to do so especially on New Years Eve each year.

Kaye was certified in numerous areas of Cosmetology as she was always travelling to New York and beyond for the latest training on new techniques and products for improving her craft. Even after she retired, you could still find her watching techniques online and continuing to always learn new things.

Kaye’s passions were God, family, traveling, and making people beautiful.

Kaye attended Sharon Baptist Church. She always took time to read her bible each morning before starting her day and would rise at the crack of dawn to make sure she gave time for God, reading His word, praying for her family and friends and quietly reflecting before the hustle and bustle of the day began. Once the day began, Kaye worked hard. She had an amazing work ethic and making sure her clients were taken care of was her priority each day. She worked long hours and never seemed to tire and would come home and cook dinner and exercise to remain fit. Sundays were for church and grocery shopping and family time. Her Monday nights with her son and daughter-in-law was the highlight of her week. Holidays with all the family coming into town and even those in town staying over to spend quality time brought Kaye immeasurable joy, her family gave her such pride.

Kaye would make trips home to Cherryville on the weekends and make sure that all her family knew they needed to come by so that she could cut, color, style their hair which was most welcome as their mother was not nearly as patient when it came to haircuts. It brought Kaye so much joy to be able to do this for her family.

Speaking of her family, they were so important to her, she was always lending a helping hand or visiting or enjoying long phone conversations with her siblings. Anytime you visited you were sure to get a big hug. Her pride and joy were her three children and her grand and great grandchildren which she always enjoyed and was eager to brag about their accomplishments. Not to mention how proud she was of all her nieces and nephews. Family reunions in Valdese were most memorable and always cherished for the amazing times catching up with all the extended family.

Kaye loved to travel. She went on cruises and train ride excursions to numerous destinations. She also loved her trips with her family, taking her daughter and granddaughters on a memorable trip to NY City. Charlie and Kaye had amazing times riding Charlie’s Harley Davidson and even enjoyed going to Bike Week in Myrtle Beach with her son and their group of friends that all enjoyed the ride. The family all went down to St. Augustine many years ago and rented a house for the week where they all got to spend real quality time together, eating, swimming, walking the beach and just enjoying each other’s company, this was especially memorable because all of Kaye’s children and grandchildren were able to spend time together. It was a trip frequently reminisced each time they got together.

Kaye enjoyed music and especially listening to Andrea Bocelli. His voice was spiritual for her. You would often get the chance to hear his music when visiting as she loved playing it while cooking dinner or working around the house.

Most memorable to all that knew and loved Kaye, her pointing her finger to get her point across, she loved talking politics and discussing the latest news topics and that laugh, that laugh was infectious. You never saw Kaye in anything but high heels. It was almost ritual for her to bake some sweet goodies on Mondays for Charlie to take to his office to share with his coworkers (they will never forget them and will miss them so much). She was always ready to give advice as she had much life experience to back up her point. And whatever life accomplishments her children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews achieved, she was there to celebrate with her presence and/or her gifts. In the last few years, you could guarantee she had tootsie pops readily available for sucking on before going to bed (not those chocolate ones though, she saved those for her son Chuck). And anytime the family got together for meals, you can be sure there would be tons of leftovers for everyone to take home and enjoy repeating the words of her mother “you eat all you want”.

Kaye retiring was a sad day for her, she wanted to work forever and never lost her passion, but as her health was declining, she knew it was the right time and retired with grace and gratitude for all the years and wonderful clients she had in her life.

Kaye’s husband Charlie passed away only nine months prior to her and in that time she was so blessed to have care givers from Home Instead come and take care of her, helping her with meals and her medications and simply being there for companionship. Her caregivers became family to all of the family and must be mentioned with gratitude and love. Thank you so much to Katherine, Saundra, Dorette, Sara, and Debra as well as Consuelo and Darla that helped so much behind the scenes making sure Kaye was in the best care. Her family could not have done this without all of their love and compassion. It’s also important to mention the Atrium Home Health caregivers, Angelica, Rosie and Jeff who were always cheering her on and keeping her going when her health was declining. Never could the family ask for a more loving and caring group of people to come to know and love and we will be eternally grateful for each and every one of them.

As Kaye’s health began to decline and after the passing of Charlie, she could not have asked for more loving, caring or selfless sons and daughter. All three of them rallied around Kaye and made sure to honor her wishes to remain at home where she wanted to be. They spent many hours sitting with her, taking her to doctor’s appointments, taking care of things around the house (she always wanted her flowers to be beautiful and loved her lantern lights on her back porch), following up with her medical results and treatment plans, staying up all night while in the hospital and simply being there when she called. It is a true testament to the outstanding job she did as a mother to have children who so selflessly tended to her the last few years.

Kaye is survived by her most cherished children; sons Chuck Kiser (Lisa), Dwayne Kiser (Cristie) and daughter Liz Catoe. Her grandchildren Jeremy Kespohl, Amanda Kepohl, Sara Ayotte and Justin Kiser (Jessica), as well as her beautiful great grandchildren who brought her so much joy and her numerous grandpuppies which she adored and spoiled. Her brothers Wayne Hollifield (Shirley), Tony Hollifield, and Roger Hollifield (Sue) and sister Decia Winkler and numerous nieces and nephews. Kaye was preceded in death by her grandson Winston Kiser, her brothers Ben Hollifield and Mike Hollifield (Marsha) and sisters Nora McIntyre and Barbara Hensley (Dale), and brother-in-law Harold (Decia) Winkler.