Carolyn E. Ludlow

Carolyn E. “Chester” Ludlow, 80, was called home in the early morning hours of Tuesday, December 17, 2024, at her home in Emporia, KS with her son, daughter, and cats at her side. 

Carolyn Eileen Krueger was born on March 20, 1944. Carolyn is one of five siblings, the second oldest daughter of Fred Emil and Bertha Luetta (Atchison) Krueger. She grew up on the family farm west of Neosho Rapids, with her parents, older sister Mary Francis, and younger brother Milton, and later on, her two younger sisters, Teresa and then Doris were born. Helping her parents with raising livestock and with the harvesting seasons, she was a humble woman from humble roots. Carolyn got the nickname “Chester” from Gunsmoke, as her siblings also adopted nicknames from the same show.

Carolyn graduated from Neosho Rapids High School in 1962 and was the Salutatorian of her class. After high school, she attended Emporia Teacher’s College with a full tuition scholarship, where she received her training as a certified nurse’s assistant. Carolyn moved to Wichita with her sister Mary. In Wichita, she worked as a CNA at Wesley Hospital and met her future husband, Joseph. She got married and from that union, she was blessed with four children: three sons and one daughter. For the majority of her life, she was a homemaker for her family. After nearly three decades of living in Wichita, she decided to move back to Emporia, KS in the summer of 1998. She was always willing to help out family when needed and within her capability, her love and caring nature extended to her nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews. She also helped her mother in her final years after moving back to Emporia. Though she did not have any grandchildren, she would often extend a helping hand to look after her great-nieces and nephews; she enjoyed seeing pictures of them as they grew. She found comfort in being with her cats and didn’t like being away from them. She would be so happy when she was able to “beat those hard levels” on Candy Crush. Carolyn loved telling stories of the past and of the family ancestry. She held a lot of knowledge on the family lineage and would share the information with anyone who would ask. She was a woman set in her ways, and she tended to be stubborn; a trait all too familiar with family members. 

She is survived by her daughter, Jennifer Ludlow (Stephen Miller) of Lawrence, Kansas; three sons, Mark Ludlow of Emporia, Kansas; Frank Ludlow of Emporia, Kansas; and Michael Ludlow of Ottawa, Kansas; two sisters, Mary Gohring of Trimble, Missouri and Doris Hoover of Granbury, Texas; one brother, Milton “Bubby” Krueger, of Trimble, Missouri. Six nieces, six nephews, nine great-nieces, and fourteen great-nephews. 

She is preceded in death by both parents, younger sister Teresa (Krueger) Williams, and great-nephew Tade James.

Carolyn was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Emporia, KS.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m., Monday, December 23, 2024, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Emporia. Rosary will be recited at 10:00 a.m. before the mass. Burial will take place after mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery in Emporia. Luncheon will take place for those who would like to attend after the burial at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Memorial contributions may be made to SOS and the Sacred Heart Parish Altar Society, sent in care of Jones VanArsdale Funeral Service, P.O. Box 43, Lebo, Kansas 66856. Condolences can be expressed at Vanarsdalefs.com.