Carolyn Kellogg

Carolyn Kellogg passed away peacefully at home on February 29, 2024, at the age of 78, surrounded by her husband and children. Carolyn was a wonderful person who positively impacted everyone she knew. As a mother, wife, teacher, friend, confidant, and philanthropist, she made her home, neighborhood, and community better.

Carolyn was born in Belleville, Kansas to Herbert and Florence Mikesell. She graduated from Courtland High School and then earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Kansas State University. While attending KSU, she wed Charles Kellogg, her high school sweetheart, with whom she spent 57 wonderful years of marriage. The couple raised two children, Mike and Cindy.

An active volunteer, Carolyn was often working in her children’s classrooms, the PTA, Cub Scouts, and her family’s church. Her children remember her as a hands-on, loving mother who encouraged them to set big goals and was always ready to provide the guidance needed to meet them. Throughout her children’s adolescence, she faithfully supported their activities across academics, athletics, and music, and was a trusted source of support and advice as they matured into adulthood. Carolyn created a warm, welcoming home where friends and family enjoyed gathering for celebrations, watching sporting events, or just hanging out and visiting.

Carolyn spent her entire career in the Kansas City area, initially teaching first and second grades in Shawnee Mission, Kansas and Pleasant Hill, Missouri. After her children reached school age, Carolyn returned to teaching at the Pembroke Hill School in Kansas City, Missouri, where she served as a long-term substitute for nearly 20 years.

Cheering on the Kansas State Wildcats was a huge part of Carolyn’s life. She watched nearly every basketball and football game, attended games in person every year, and maintained a commanding knowledge of team players, coaches, stats, and strategy. Not content to sit on the sideline, Carolyn served as a trustee of the Kansas State University Foundation, working to support state-level legislation, attract and retain KSU students, and broaden student access to essential campus services.

A special place for Carolyn was the Lake of the Ozarks, where she spent time on weekends and summer vacations for over 30 years. She took great pleasure in hosting family and friends at her lake home, taking long boat rides, and cheering on water skiers and Super Mable riders.

Carolyn always had strong relationships with her friends and community, a testament to her generous and fun spirit. She was close with her “coffee club”, a friend group that formed in the early 1970s and met regularly for five decades. She had a special connection with the Courtland High School Class of 1964, a tight-knit group who took three Caribbean cruises together. Carolyn was a longtime member of P.E.O., a philanthropic organization for women that supports educational and charitable projects, and she looked forward to weekly Zoom meetings with her P.E.O. friends. She enjoyed being part of a church congregation, and in recent years was a member of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection.

Throughout her life, Carolyn cared for others in ways that left a lasting impact. She opened her home to family members and close family friends for long-term stays that allowed them to pursue career, education, and travel opportunities in the Kansas City area. She cared tirelessly for her parents and other elderly relatives to provide them with comfort and dignity. And many relatives and friends would reach out to her in challenging times for guidance and advice, because she always seemed to know just the right thing to say.

In retirement, Carolyn was active and influential in charitable foundations. Her particular areas of interest included establishing need-based scholarships for promising students and expanding the impact of higher education facilities and programs. For nearly 35 years, she served as a director for the Goppert Foundation, serving the greater Kansas City area by supporting need-based education, resources for victims of domestic violence, and the establishment of libraries, parks, and community centers. Personally, she was committed to improving the quality of life in her hometown area by establishing educational funds and increasing the availability of innovative home modification services that allow residents to age in place.

Carolyn is survived by her loving husband Charles, brother Don (Phyllis), children Mike (Jen) and Cindy (Patrick), and grandchildren Asher, Finley, Ronan, and Seamus. Carolyn was preceded in death by her parents.

A visitation is scheduled for 6:00-8:00 PM on Tuesday, March 5, and a funeral service is planned for 10:00 AM on Wednesday, March 6, both to be held at McGilley State Line Chapel at 12301 State Line Road in Kansas City, Missouri. A graveside service will be held at 11:00 AM on Thursday, March 7 at Courtland Cemetery in Courtland, Kansas, to be immediately followed by a reception at T.A.G.’s at 319 Cloud Street in Scandia, Kansas.

A memorial scholarship fund for Carolyn Kellogg has been established at the Kansas State University Foundation. Contributions may be sent to: KSU Foundation, 1800 Kimball Ave., Ste 200, Manhattan, KS 66502, please indicate fund M47467. To make a gift online, go to ksufoundation.org/give/Kellogg