Obituary

Carrol Emogene (Palmer) Jewell

(1939 - 2019)

Obituary

Carrol Emogene (Palmer) Jewell, 80, passed away peacefully Nov. 5, 2019, at the Presbyterian Manor in Newton. Carrol was born July 17, 1939, in Newton, to Henry Alonzo "Steve" and Anna Helen (Kluge) Palmer. Born Emogene Carrol Palmer, at a young age her father would call her by her middle name of Carrol, which she preferred and used for her entire life. Born at home in a house that still stands on the corner of Santa Fe and Fourth Street in Newton, she often shared the story of being the first to ride in the new ambulance to Axtell Hospital after her birth. Carrol was one of six children. She was the second youngest child, followed by her brothers, Orville and Sterling. Spending her early childhood in Newton, she often tells stories of her and her two brothers, Sterling and Orville, playing outside and the adventures they had around Sand Creek, which at that time was just a narrow, shallow "crick." Her father worked on the railroad. She was very proud of her daddy. She was a daddy's girl and often bragged to the other railroad workers that her daddy was the "boss!"

In the years following, her parents had divorced and both remarried. Carrol's two older siblings, Lonnie and Jackie, were almost grown. This was during the depression and caring for large families was hard financially. It was decided that her two older brothers, Sterling and Orville, would stay in Newton with their father and Carrol and her baby brother, Gary, would stay with their mother. Carrol's new stepfather, Joe Laubener, would move them to California. He was military and also worked for Lerner's clothing store and opened new stores all over the U.S. They would eventually move to Boulder City, Nevada. Carrol remembers this as a very sad time. Not only did she have to leave her two playmate brothers, but she was also leaving her daddy. Later in life she had a better understanding.

Carrol attended Hollywood High and Boulder City High. She would live in California, Rodger Young Village in a quonset hut. This was temporary housing for veterans returning following WWII to the Southern California area. She shared many stories about living there. It had its own city with a market, school, movie theater and gas station. She and her little brother, Gary, had many adventures there as well. The village is gone and is now Griffith Park. This was the start of many adventures in Carrol's life. She lived in several states - California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Michigan, Idaho and then back to her home in Kansas.

Carrol was blessed with three daughters, Candee, Crystal and Janine. She was a single mother most of their lives. Even though it was a struggle and she never left poverty, she always made sure her girls had food on the table and a roof over their heads. Her girls were the one steady thing in her life and she loved them dearly. She would rotate favorites and her daughters knew this. They would laugh and point out who was the favorite one for that timeframe.

Carrol was beautiful! She was always a fascination to many. Her stepmother, Lydia, once said, "Carrol always looks like a million bucks on a $2 budget!" And she did!

Her sister, Jackie, was her best friend and they spent many hours talking, smoking and drinking coffee together. They loved playing Keno and made many trips dressed to the "nines" to downtown Las Vegas. When Carrol moved back to Kansas from Las Vegas, her brother Sterling returned there as well. These two, who were playmates as kids but separated, came together again and were "partners in crime." They would visit over coffee almost every day. She was eccentric, independent and intelligent. She was fearless. Her daughters often said she had a guardian angel and that she kept that guardian angel very busy.

She loved the Native American Indian way of life. She loved nature and pan flute music. She was fascinated by the life and beauty of Marilyn Monroe. She resembled Monroe a lot in her younger years, and even lived in the same town in California when Marilyn was just 13 years old. She was a restless soul. She found herself moving a lot in search of something. In her older years, she settled into life and found the peace within herself. With her daughters close by, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins and other family, she was content living in her birth town of Newton.

She loved Jesus and talked to him often. She loved to paint, sew, read and write. She loved talk radio and watching movies. She loved animals, birds (particularly ravens and blackbirds) and nature. She loved visiting and drinking coffee. She loved music. Lionel Ritchie, Bread and Inka Gold are just a few examples. She loved sitting at the park and reflecting. She loved her dog, Cherokee.

She worked as a CNA for many years in Las Vegas. In the 70s she was the manager at the new Towne and Country Convenience Store in Newton and most known for the position she held as Manager of the Kwik-Fil Self-Serve gas station located at the Alco Plaza parking lot in Newton. This little station gave employment to Carrol, her sister Jackie, three daughters Candee, Crystal and Janine, cousin Cheryl (Watson) Cooper, stepmother Lydia, several friends and even on occasion her father Steve. It has since been torn down and there are now pictures of it in the Newton Historical Museum.

Carrol celebrated her 80th Birthday in July of this year. She celebrated with a 1950s "Sock Hop" complete with her favorite '50s music, a detailed "soda shop" cake, poodle and record cookies (made by her grandson Christian Krehbiel's wife, Taylor), punch served with striped paper straws, coca cola bottles, popcorn, black and pink balloons and a cardboard jukebox and records. Everyone dressed in '50s attire and Carrol danced the afternoon away in her poodle skirt.

Just a little over two weeks from her diagnosis of pancreatic, liver and abdominal cancer, Carrol took her last breath with her three daughters by her side. They held her hand, stroked her hair, rubbed her leg and assured her that Jesus was waiting and it was okay to go home. She was loved and will be missed so very much.

Carrol was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers, Orville Palmer and Alonzo "Lonnie" Palmer; her sister, Jacquelyn "Jackie" Russell; her great-granddaughter, Adeline "Addie" Mae Helsper; and her daughters' fathers, Gordon Keith "Fritz" Johnson, Ross Hamilton and John "Johnny" Francis Morton.

She is survived by her brothers, Sterling Palmer of Newton and Gary Palmer (Fay) of Kingman, Arizona; her three daughters, Candee Sue Wright (Dave) of Lawrence, Crystal Ann Johnson-Morton Gray (Mike) of Newton and Janine Helen Clark (Dave) of Wichita; eight grandchildren: Jessica Yoder, Zachary Yoder (Kristen), both of Newton, Jacob Yoder (longtime girlfriend Breeze Duvall) of Beaverton, Oregon, Aimee Helpser (Ken) and Molly Law, both of Lawrence, Ryan Krehbiel (Nancy) of Wichita, Christian "Chris" Krehbiel (Taylor) of Newton and Daniel Clarki of Wichita; nine great-grandchildren: Parker Murphy, Elijah Yoder, Annika and Abigail "Abby" Yoder, twins Emma and Alice Krehbiel, Lucy and River Law, and Isabella "Izzy" Krehbiel; many loving nieces, nephews and cousins; and Lavonne "Virgie" Adams, who she met one day at the car wash and became longtime friends.

A Christian service will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday (Nov. 17, 2019) at the Baker Funeral Home in Valley Center. Stephen Cooper (spouse of her cousin, Cheryl) will be officiating.

Memorials can be sent to Ronald McDonald House in Kansas City in memory of Adeline "Addie" Mae Helsper. www.rmhckc.org/donate/

"Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring!" –Marilyn Monroe

Baker Funeral Home Valley Center is handling arrangements. Condolences may be left for the family at www.bakerfhvc.com.