Carolyn Vosika left her small Lincoln home of 60 years for the last time on the morning of Monday September 23. She passed away quickly and quietly when her strong, loving heart gave out later that day. While we, her five children—Susan, Nancy, Michael, Thomas, and Daniel—mourn our mother’s passing, we are also overwhelmed with gratitude for having lived and learned from her.

Carolyn Rhode was born on a Hampton, Nebraska farm 88 years ago, the younger child of two, with a penchant to leave her small-town environs and travel the world. She met and married another baby of his family, Don Kaspari from York Nebraska. Soon after, they moved into a red brick ranch house on Skyway Road, which soon bustled with five children. Carolyn frugally and industriously kept the house going on one paycheck. The rich black soil of the backyard grew bushels of tomatoes and cucumbers; trips to fabric shops kept her sewing machine busy making clothes; car trips to Bethany Public Library kept the kids maxed out in books. The tiny kitchen on Skyway was an endless source of homemade sugar cookies, sweet rolls, and donuts. Carolyn’s fried chicken with white gravy, homemade Runzas, and Sunday roast were as dependable as they were legendary.

As her first marriage was ending, Carolyn went back to school at Southeast Community College in 1978. After two years of late nights studying at the kitchen table, Carolyn earned her LPN certificate and joined the staff at St. Elizabeth’s hospital. There she gave decades of service to the community. In these years on her own— as her children began exploring their own opportunities—Carolyn met the love of her life, Duane Vosika. They were married for 28 years and were off on many adventures, travelling constantly as Carolyn had always wanted to do. They were a pair like no other and constant companions until Duane passed in 2013.

Perhaps Carolyn and Duane’s greatest adventure began when they admitted their powerlessness against alcohol and became Friends of Bill. The courage they demonstrated and the selflessness with which they helped others in the program is one of our most enduring memories of our mother who proudly celebrated 35 years of sobriety. Carolyn and Duane’s self-reliance, and compassion for the vagaries of fate and human nature were perfectly captured in Duane’s—and soon the entire family’s—exclamation when things didn’t quite work out. “Whatever!” Carolyn and Duane would say.

Carolyn’s creative side always bubbled beneath the surface. Collaborating with Duane as the senior partner in “The Vosika Quilting Duo”, a quilting machine was soon installed in the basement of Skyway Road. Carolyn’s passion for beauty manifested itself in scores of intricate, snug quilts that she made for customers, friends, and family. Carolyn’s quilts fill our homes and are among our most prized possessions.

While it is always difficult to say goodbye, we do so here to our dear mother Carolyn with grateful tears. Mom was a resilient woman of high standards and compassion for those who struggle. As she begins her next journey, we wish her a loving farewell.

A Celebration of Mom is being planned, to take place at her home at 524 Skyway Road, where we can laugh, maybe cry a bit, and share our many, fond memories of Mom.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Lincoln Humane Society and City Mission.

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