Carolyn Virginia Clester (née Kendrick) passed away on Feb. 7, 2025, at the age of 82. 

Carolyn was born on May 27, 1942 to Charles Franklin and Virginia Marie (née Bartula) Kendrick in Fort Worth, Texas. She grew up in Broken Arrow, Okla., and graduated from Broken Arrow High School in 1960. Carolyn graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1964 with a bachelor’s degree in speech and language therapy.

Carolyn married William Samuel Clester on Jan. 19, 1974, in Houston, Texas, and they eventually moved to Belle Plaine from Overland Park in 1979 as Sam purchased the Belle Plaine News. Carolyn worked as a bookkeeper at the Belle Plaine News and later working in bookkeeping and administration in the Wichita area for Rent-A-Center, Thorn EMI, and the Via Christi Foundation. She will be remembered for her dry sense of humor and love of all puzzles and games from crosswords to playing cards with her friends.

Carolyn is preceded in death by her husband, and is survived by her son, Marine Lt. Col. William Grant and his wife, Dr. Theresa Clester; grandchildren, Maggie, Alex, Kate, and Charlie of Burke, Va.; step-daughter, Shana Alexandra and her wife, Amy Scott; step-granddaughter, Lexie of Montclair, N.J.; brother, Charles “Bud” Kendrick, Jr., of Kemp, Texas; and sister, Pam and her husband John Fleak of Claremore, Okla.

A memorial service will be held at the Belle Plaine Global Methodist Church on Feb. 15, at 2 p.m.