On Sunday, December 6, 2015, Carol Lynn Kirkland of Helena, Montana, was finally able to leave the restraints of her wheelchair behind. She slipped away from family and friends with a faint goodbye, looking to be pain–free in the first time in months.
Carol was born in Billings, Montana, to Rose and Steve Vargo. She was a happy little girl, eschewing dolls for cowboy hat, chaps, and six–guns. She attended K-12 in Billings and graduated from Billings West High. She attended Eastern Montana College, now Montana State University Billings, graduating with a degree in Education with a Business major.
Carol met her husband Jeff in Cody, Wyoming, in 1970 where she went to do her student teaching. Why Cody? The secretary in the student teaching office at the college knew of an “eligible bachelor” who was teaching at Cody High School. It was a match made in heaven. Actually, Carol brought Jeff chicken soup when he was sick, and he was forever and ever grateful.
After her stint at student teaching, she said teaching was not for her, not when 5-foot tall Carol, standing on tippy–toes, had to look up at most of her students. Jeff proposed in May, and they were married in August. Two years later she and Jeff moved to Billings, and in 1973 they moved to Helena, where Carol became indispensable to the Montana Bankers Association, so indispensable in fact that when Jeff was going to be transferred back to Billings, Carol’s boss created a new, not very necessary job for Jeff so he wouldn’t lose Carol.
But all good things come to an end, and Carol and the Bankers Association finally parted ways. She then worked for the State, the County Commission, the City Public Works Department, and finally City Parks and Recreation, where she was again indispensable and from which she retired in July 2015. She had worked there for over 30 years and was known by many as the Parks Lady.
On March 23, 2015, Carol was brought down by a massive stroke, leaving her unable to move her left arm and leg. She had been confined to a wheelchair ever since.
She had undergone rigorous and relentless physical therapy so she could go home and be with Jeff and her kitties and was just starting to be able to move her leg. Then came the blood clots, the cellulitis, and then, without any warning, the debilitating amyloidosis. She fought all of them as hard as she could but just couldn’t fight any more.
She and Jeff had no children, but there was always a succession of kitties in the house, always shelter kitties, always more than one, more than two, often more than that. Carol loved taking care of things. For 45 years she took care of Jeff, who she swore couldn’t take care of himself. She took care of her plants that are so large you can scarcely navigate the dining room. She took care of her kitties, who she trained to eat canned food at 7 am, 5 pm, and 10 pm. They learned to tell time that way. She took care of her home which she vacuumed every Saturday to the consternation of the cats who would run and hide. Carol always found them. The dusting and mopping weren’t so traumatic. She ironed Jeff’s shirts, even though their labels said No Iron or Wrinkle Free.
Carol had many, many wonderful friends who gave her love and support during her ordeal. In fact, the staff at both Cooney Home and Aspen Gardens where Carol resided after the stroke said they’d never seen a resident with so many visitors. Her friends lifted her spirits when her life was particularly bleak.
If she could have, Carol would have asked that any memorials go to the Lewis and Clark Humane Society. There will be no funeral service, but there will be a gathering in January to celebrate Carol’s life. There will be a notice in the IR with the date, time, and place. We hope you’ll be able to attend and share your memories, anecdotes, photos, and anything else Carol. Tell a joke. She would have liked that.
James Nys (Nys)
From the Helena Independent Record Obituary page
On Sunday, December 6, 2015, Carol Lynn Kirkland of Helena, Montana, was finally able to leave the restraints of her wheelchair behind. She slipped away from family and friends with a faint goodbye, looking to be pain–free in the first time in months.
Carol was born in Billings, Montana, to Rose and Steve Vargo. She was a happy little girl, eschewing dolls for cowboy hat, chaps, and six–guns. She attended K-12 in Billings and graduated from Billings West High. She attended Eastern Montana College, now Montana State University Billings, graduating with a degree in Education with a Business major.
Carol met her husband Jeff in Cody, Wyoming, in 1970 where she went to do her student teaching. Why Cody? The secretary in the student teaching office at the college knew of an “eligible bachelor” who was teaching at Cody High School. It was a match made in heaven. Actually, Carol brought Jeff chicken soup when he was sick, and he was forever and ever grateful.
After her stint at student teaching, she said teaching was not for her, not when 5-foot tall Carol, standing on tippy–toes, had to look up at most of her students. Jeff proposed in May, and they were married in August. Two years later she and Jeff moved to Billings, and in 1973 they moved to Helena, where Carol became indispensable to the Montana Bankers Association, so indispensable in fact that when Jeff was going to be transferred back to Billings, Carol’s boss created a new, not very necessary job for Jeff so he wouldn’t lose Carol.
But all good things come to an end, and Carol and the Bankers Association finally parted ways. She then worked for the State, the County Commission, the City Public Works Department, and finally City Parks and Recreation, where she was again indispensable and from which she retired in July 2015. She had worked there for over 30 years and was known by many as the Parks Lady.
On March 23, 2015, Carol was brought down by a massive stroke, leaving her unable to move her left arm and leg. She had been confined to a wheelchair ever since.
She had undergone rigorous and relentless physical therapy so she could go home and be with Jeff and her kitties and was just starting to be able to move her leg. Then came the blood clots, the cellulitis, and then, without any warning, the debilitating amyloidosis. She fought all of them as hard as she could but just couldn’t fight any more.
She and Jeff had no children, but there was always a succession of kitties in the house, always shelter kitties, always more than one, more than two, often more than that. Carol loved taking care of things. For 45 years she took care of Jeff, who she swore couldn’t take care of himself. She took care of her plants that are so large you can scarcely navigate the dining room. She took care of her kitties, who she trained to eat canned food at 7 am, 5 pm, and 10 pm. They learned to tell time that way. She took care of her home which she vacuumed every Saturday to the consternation of the cats who would run and hide. Carol always found them. The dusting and mopping weren’t so traumatic. She ironed Jeff’s shirts, even though their labels said No Iron or Wrinkle Free.
Carol had many, many wonderful friends who gave her love and support during her ordeal. In fact, the staff at both Cooney Home and Aspen Gardens where Carol resided after the stroke said they’d never seen a resident with so many visitors. Her friends lifted her spirits when her life was particularly bleak.
If she could have, Carol would have asked that any memorials go to the Lewis and Clark Humane Society. There will be no funeral service, but there will be a gathering in January to celebrate Carol’s life. There will be a notice in the IR with the date, time, and place. We hope you’ll be able to attend and share your memories, anecdotes, photos, and anything else Carol. Tell a joke. She would have liked that.
Submitted by Jim Nys