Oct. 17, 1929 — Nov. 12, 2024
Caroline was born to David Warner Metlen and Emily Buckner Metlen, in San Francisco, California. She was raised in the small town of Elk Grove, California, where she enjoyed tap dancing and tennis as well as dancing during the school lunch hours. She attended Yuba Junior College and transferred to her father’s alma mater, University of Washington. It was there on a bike ride around Lake Washington that she and fellow classmate, Bill (William) J. Kirkman, became engaged.
After graduation, they were married in 1952. Bill was in the Navy at the end of the Korean war, while Caroline lived with her parents and taught elementary school in Northern California. The two had an interesting and lovely 62 years of marriage. Caroline continued to teach elementary education sporadically as they moved with the Navy and then for 10 years as they became Presbyterian missionaries.
They lived in Japan, then Brooklyn, N.Y., where along came child #1 William (Wil) D. Kirkman (1959). Moving continued to several places in California, which brought child #2, Johanna Kirkman (1962). Then on to Princeton, N.J., for Bill’s master’s in theology at Princeton Seminary, followed by work in the Republic of South Korea (five years, 1964-1969) and the Island Republic of Singapore (five years, 1970-1975). Caroline taught at Singapore American School. She was an excellent cook and continued to cook delicious Asian dished for most of her life. They sailed their own boat and had family vacations all over the South Pacific during this time.
Upon returning to the U.S. in 1975, they settled in Henderson, Nevada, where Caroline taught elementary school for 10 years. She earned a double masters from UNLV during that time. Skiing, hiking and tennis became regular activities. Caroline and Bill were avid readers and letter writers, keeping in touch with many friends from every stage in their lives.
Good friends from missionary training school had moved to Ashland. The Kirkmans visited the Sagers several times and eventually decided to retire here in 1986. They then traveled all over the world, again! They moved into the Mountain Meadows Community in 2012.
Caroline became a caregiver for Bill, who had developed Parkinson’s, which affected both his mobility and speech. Despite Caroline becoming legally blind, she remained active in her book club (thanks to Talking Books program from the Oregon State Library). She was a longtime member of PEO and the Presbyterian church. In retirement she enjoyed tap dancing lessons, tai chi, Ikebana flower arranging, volunteering at Tudor Guild and other local efforts such as OSF, RV Symphony, and many local theaters. Caroline and Bill loved to dance!
Caroline was an inspiration to many, a wonderful mother, grandmother and friend. She passed peacefully at Ashland Sky Foster Home, almost 10 years to the day after Bill. Caroline is survived by her children, Wil Kirkman (Renae Knapp) of Boise, Idaho, and Johanna Lear of Ashland, Oregon; and by her grandchildren, Keith Lear of Bend, Oregon, and Emily Lear of St. Petersburg, Florida, as well as sister-in-law, Jan Rains of Ojai, California, and seven nieces and nephews. She was dearly loved and will be missed!
Her memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Jan. 11 at the First Presbyterian Church in Ashland, 1615 Clark Ave. (at the corner of Walker Avenue and Siskiyou Boulevard).
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Oregon Talking Books or Michael J. Fox Parkinson’s Foundation.
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