Carolyn devoted many years of steady, faithful work to Henry Vogt Machine Company, beginning in 1957 and only leaving during her husband’s military service and when her children were born. She would continue her employment there until her retirement in 2005. Her life reflected a quiet strength and constancy—qualities evident in the long arc of her working years and in the care she showed to those and those things entrusted to her.
A member of Broadway Baptist Church, Carolyn valued her church community and the grounding it provided. She also carried a tender compassion for animals, opening her home to several beloved pets adopted through the Animal Care Society over the years.
Carolyn is survived by her sons, Brian W. Shanks and Bradley H. Shanks; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles Puckett; her first husband and the father of her children, Herbert W. Shanks; her parents, Harry and Bessie Hughes; and her sister, Alice Campbell.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, November 15, 2026, from 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Arch L. Heady and Son - Cralle Funeral Home, 2428 Frankfort Avenue, Louisville, Kentucky 40206.
The Funeral Service will take place on Monday, November 16, 2026, at 10:00 am at the funeral home with burial to follow at Louisville Memorial Gardens East, 11601 Ballardsville Rd, Louisville, KY 40241.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Broadway Baptist Church, 4000 Brownsboro Road, Louisville, KY 40207, (https://broadwaybaptist.org/), or to Animal Care Society, 12207 Westport Road, Louisville, KY 40245, (https://animalcaresociety.org/).
