Carola K. (Karst) Gaither, 83, passed away on Saturday, March 21, 2015, in Salina, Kansas.

She was born on May 8, 1931, in Russell, Kansas. She worked with her husband, John, on the family ranch and in their construction business. She enjoyed traveling with her husband and then in later years on “Cousin Trips”, socializing with friends and family, reminiscing with her high school class, “The 49ers”, playing cards, watching old movies, and reading.

Carola married John W., Gaither, Jr., in WaKeeney at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church on April 18, 1950. She is survived by daughters, Cassandra and husband, Tom Hutchinson, and Christine and husband, Carl Garten, all of Salina, grandson Bourke Hutchinson, wife Kari, and great-granddaughters Riley and Harper of Gardner, Kansas, and grandson Caleb Garten, of Omaha, Nebraska.

She was preceded in death by husband, John Warren Gaither, sister, Calista Sutton and husband Max of St. Joseph, Missouri, brother, Laurence Karst and wife Janice of Cleveland, Tennessee, brother-in-law, Robert Max Gaither, Topeka, nephew Max Sutton, Jr., St. Joseph, Missouri, her in-laws John Warren and Mabel Gaither, WaKeeney, and her parents William and Lydia Karst, WaKeeney.

Surviving family includes: sister-in-law Marie Gaither of Topeka, sister-in-law Janice Gaither Crissman, and husband Tom of Great Bend, nieces and nephews Max Gaither, Jr., Topeka, Charlotte Gaither Adair of Topeka, Peggy Gaither Adams of Honolulu, Hawaii, Doug Crissman, Great Bend, Donna Crissman Petz, Great Bend, Cheryl Crissman Jones of Pinetop, Arizona, Susan Karst McMurray, Moorseville, North Carolina, David Karst, Salt Lake City, Utah, Laura Karst Morgan, Cleveland, Tennessee, Melissa Sutton Zawadny, St. Joseph, Missouri, John Sutton, Denver, Colorado, and Patti Sutton Markworth, Lake St. Louis, Missouri.

Funeral services will be Wednesday, March 25, 2015, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 338 North 7th Street, WaKeeney, at 11:00 AM. Family visitation will be from 9:45-10:45 prior to the service at the church. A light luncheon at the church will follow after graveside committal services at the WaKeeney Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to the America Diabetes Association, the American Cancer Society, or the Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Checks made to the organization may be sent in care of Schmitt Funeral Home, 336 North 12th Street, WaKeeney, KS 67672.