Carlye June Gilmore

Funeral services for Carlye June Gilmore, 76, of Junction City will be held at 11 a.m., today at the First United Methodist Church with Reverend Kenton Van officiating. Visitation was held Thursday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Penwell-Gabel Johnson Chapel. Burial will take place at Kansas Veterans' Cemetery at 1:30 p.m. Memorial contributions may be given to the First United Methodist Church, 804 N. Jefferson, Junction City, KS 66441.

Carlye June Gilmore (Braaf) passed away December 7th, 2009 unexpectedly outside her home while walking her dog in the frigid air. She was born May 29th, 1933, Hallem, NE to Hester (Bush) and Ervin Braaf as the youngest in a family of three girls. She spent her early years in Nebraska, and moved with her family during the war years to Portland, OR so her father could find work as a blacksmith. She returned to Nebraska, graduated high school and began studying at Doane College in Crete. She began her teaching career in 1950, at age 17, in Gage County, NE after the standard minimum of 12 college hours.

After 2 years, she moved to Pickrell, NE and taught grades 5-8. The following year she moved to Beatrice, NE and taught a 3/4th grade combination. She then met the love of her life, Joseph Gilmore, and they were married on June 27th, 1954. He was in the Army, so she moved with him to Fort Riley, KS. She taught 3rd grade for 5 years at Fort Riley Elementary, completing her education at Kansas State University with a Bachelor's degree in Education in 1958.

In March of 1958, Carlye gave birth to her first child, a daughter. After teaching at Fort Riley, she taught a year of 4th grade at Morris Hill Elementary. During Joseph's tour in Korea, Carlye moved back to Nebraska where she taught a 5/6th grade combination class in Dewitt, NE during the 1960-61 school year. After Joseph's return, they moved back to Fort Riley where she taught 1st grade at Morris Hill Elementary. July of 1963, Carlye gave birth to her second daughter and last child. Shortly after, the family followed Joseph to Germany for his three year tour where she taught kindergarten and 4th grade for one semester each at a military dependant school.

In 1968, Joseph retired and Carlye resumed her career in Junction City teaching at Jefferson Elementary until 1973. Within that time-frame, she taught one semester at Lincoln Elementary. In 1973, she transferred to Fort Riley Elementary, teaching 4th grade for two years and spent eight years as the Resource Learning Disabilities Teacher at Fort Riley Elementary, Milford Elementary, and Forsyth Schools. During those ten years, she earned two Master's degrees: one in Curriculum and Instruction in 1974, and the other in Special Education in 1978. She then earned a Kansas Administrator's Certificate in 1982 and became Assistant Principal at Ware Elementary during fall of 1983. After becoming Assistant Principal, she stopped earning additional degrees; however, one of the most remarkable things about Carlye was not that she had so many degrees, but that she earned them all while working full-time, taking evening and summer courses. Carlye became principal of Custer hill Elementary in 1987, retiring in 1995, at age 62 after serving as Principal for 8 years. One of the highlights of her career was being honored with the district's Shining Star Award by the teachers at Custer Hill Elementary. In 1975, she was nominated for the Master Teacher Award.

She was active in her Methodist Church prayer group and also assisted with church functions. Carlye was a member of Rebecca's. She served as a volunteer at the hospital gift store. She loved people and kept busy at home by taking care of her husband and her two Maltese dogs. She enjoyed traveling, especially to see family living out of state. Many road-trips were taken to Nebraska to see her parents, Joe's parents, her two sisters, his brother, and their respective families.

As the families spread, she and Joseph would travel further. They took several trips to Washington State after their eldest daughter, Rita, relocated with her husband Tim, in 1987. One of the best trips was a road-trip in the camper, accompanied by her younger daughter, Karen, and son-in-law, John, out to the Washington coast. There they were joined by Rita, Tim and their four children, to celebrate Carlye and Joe's 50th Wedding Anniversary in 2004.

Carlye was a loving, giving person and will be sorely missed by her family, friends, and all who have known her. She is survived by her devoted husband of 55 years, Joseph Gilmore, her daughters, Rita Koester of Edgewood, WA and Karen Carroll of Chapman, KS, her grandchildren Nicholas (Nick), Meghan, Alexandria (Allie), and Sean, and sons-in-law Tim Koester and John Carroll.

She also had a special and loving relationship with her sister and brother-in-law, Sharon and Gerald Rehm of Dewitt, NE, sister, Jo Henke of Crete, NE, sister-in-law Katie Thompson of Las Vegas, NV, and brother-in-law Bill Lake as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Carlye was a very special person with a love for learning and life. She set the bar high for herself and achieved her goals through perseverance and hard work. She loved to be busy all the time. She is an inspiration to dreamers everywhere. As she always told her teachers at Custer Hill Elementary, "Only Through Change Do We Grow."