Carolyn Sue Stenhouse's Obituary
Born Carolyn Sue Gibson on April 25th, 1942 in Marshall, TX to parents Clyde Engs and Imo Gene Gibson, Carolyn was the first born of 6 children. Carolyn grew up in a working class family that took pride in their faith, their family and community. She was a member of Little Flock Baptist Church where she was saved and baptized as a teenager and, later in life, was married. During her childhood, Carolyn attended both Jefferson and Hallsville schools and graduated from Hallsville High school in 1960. During High school she took a job at the Arlyne Theatre in Downtown Longview. A short time after graduation she began work at South Western Electric Power Company where she worked until her marriage to Larry a few years later.
Carolyn met Larry through a mutual friend in the Summer of 1963. Larry asked Carolyn to be his girlfriend in January of 1964 and Carolyn couldn't say no! They were married soon after in June of the same year. Carolyn and Larry had their first child, Susan, on October 1965 followed by a son, John on December of 1968. While the kids were young, Carolyn studied for and received her license to sell Real Estate. She sold property for a short time before she began a job that took her back to her Alma Mater at Hallsville Independent School District. Carolyn loved her job at the school and dedicated 19 years of service to the school district before she retired in 1999. In her retirement she spent her days 'riding down the road' with Larry in the driver's seat, destination sometimes 'unknown'. With him as the Driver and her as the Navigator, their trips were sometimes a surprise to them both!. Her many trips and family vacations took her cross country several times. During their family vacations, Carolyn was able to take in the beautiful scenery of several states including California, Wyoming, Tennesee, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Arizona and several more. She loved the beaches of Florida and the snow in Colorado and New Mexico. A girls trip to Boston was a highlight for her as well! In her retirement, she and Larry were able to enjoy their time together on several cruises to Mexico, a trip to Vegas and one of her all time favorite trips was a dream getaway to Hawaii with dear friends where she fell in love with all the tropical vegetation and flowers. Carolyn loved to garden and it seemed as if she could grow ANYTHING. She shared plants, clippings, and tried and true tips and tricks with anyone who would listen. She loved every and any kind of flower and could not say no to a clearance isle plant destined for the trash. She tried and 99% of the time succeeded in bringing several plants 'back from the dead'!
Another one of Carolyn's other hobbies included supporting her husband Larry's and later her son's racing hobby. Going to the races was a part of life for Carolyn and something she took an interest in and enjoyed very much. She spent many weekend days and nights in the pits or sitting in the stands cheering on her son John behind the steering wheel of a dirt track car. She loved a good NASCAR race as well and enjoyed being a season ticket holder at Texas Motor Speedway.
On the days when the family wasn't racing you could find Carolyn alongside her daughter perusing the sometimes forgotten isles of the many Antique shops scattered all across Texas. Carolyn loved the thrill of hunting for and finding a bargain and looked forward to the times spent with Susan shopping and enjoying their 'girl' days.
Carolyn enjoyed fishing and spending time at the lake with family. Later in her life she was blessed by the arrival of her 2 grandchildren. Janna and Jonathan, or 'The Babes' as she would be known for calling them, brought her joy she couldn't describe. She enjoyed every detail about them and would talk about them to anyone and everyone. One of her favorite roles in life was being able to be called their Grammy.
Grammy, Mom, Wife, Sister, Aunt, Daughter, Mother in Law and Friend were just a few of Carolyn's titles in life and she cherished every one of them.
She lovingly devoted over 56 years of marriage to Larry, a lifetime of love to her children and immeasurable love, hugs and kisses to her grandchildren, Carolyn Sue Stenhouse will be deeply and sorrowfully missed until we can see her again.
Carolyn is survived by her husband; John Larry Stenhouse, daughter and husband; Susan Stenhouse Thurston and Don Thurston of Longview, son and wife; John Larry Stenhouse , Jr and Jennifer Stenhouse of Longview and grandchildren; Janna and Jonathan; brother; Clyde Coleman Gibson of Ramsey, Il, sister; Betty Aaron and husband Ted of Lufkin, sister Barbara Starr and husband Floyd of Hallsville and brother in law; A.B. Belrose of Port Neches. Carolyn will also be remembered by her numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents Clyde Engs and Imo Gene Gibson, sisters; Linda Jean Gibson and Glenda Jane Belrose and sister in law; Ursula Gibson
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