8/24/1947 ~ 9/19/2018
Carol Ruth Kirkham Mathews Goulais, beloved mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin, teacher, counselor, neighbor, and loyal friend, passed away peacefully at home September 19, 2018 after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Born August 24, 1947 in Salt Lake City to Arthur Jack Kirkham and Elna Mae Jensen Kirkham, Carol was raised in Murray with her brother and sister.
She enjoyed camping (in a Springbar tent), spending time at the ranch with cousins, going to her grandparents farm, playing music and singing with her family, and cruising around Murray with her friends.
Carol attended Brigham Young University and graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelor's degree. She later earned a master's degree from the University of Utah as a single mother and while working full-time. She had an accomplished 30-year career with Granite School District that included teaching French at Kennedy Junior High School and working as a school counselor at Westlake Junior High School and most recently with Youth in Custody. She dedicated many years to teaching and counseling the students she so adored.
Carol was fun, creative, witty, and had a great sense of humor. She prided herself on being a hard worker and always spoke her mind. She enjoyed many hobbies including scrapbooking, reading, writing, going to movies, cooking, playing piano, swimming, hanging out with her friends, and dressing her kids and grandkids to the nines. Some of her favorite things were playing games with her family, reading to the grandkids, celebrating holidays, going to Disneyland, being in the mountains, buying knick-knacks, decorating cookies, going to Little America, creating out of control Christmases, and staying up late watching movies with popcorn. She had a passion for dance and for years owned and operated a ballet school out of her basement. Every year she always looked forward to taking her children (and many students) to see the Nutcracker Ballet.
Carol always valued people and her relationships. She shared tears and laughter with many friends from her neighborhood, church, school, work, and the "Ladybugs," a group of friends from high school. She was always there for her kids, grandkids, nephews, and nieces. She had a special gift for making people feel accepted, loved, and special (especially teenagers). Carol was a member of the LDS Church and over the years held various positions in her local ward. She was also a lifelong Democrat and proud that she served as a delegate for the Democratic Party. She was married to William L. Mathews (later divorced) and Edward Goulais (later divorced).
She was preceded in death by her parents, Jack and Elna Kirkham. She is survived by her children, William "Matt" Mathews (Denise), Jenny Mathews Sasich (David), Amanda Mathews Bilanzich, Allison Goulais (Mark Cannon); grandchildren, Caitlin, Zachary, Aidan, William; siblings, Kathy Kirkham Smith Lombardi (Scott) and Jack Kirkham (Cheryl); and many nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank all of the doctors, nurses, and caregivers who treated our mom like a person, not just a patient. You are amazing people.
A viewing will be on Tuesday, September 25, 2018 at Jenkins-Soffe Funeral Chapel, 4760 South State St., Murray from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, September 26th at the Hegessy Ward, 2535 East Newcastle Drive, Sandy at 11:00 a.m., viewing preceding service from 10:00-10:45 a.m. Interment will be at the Murray City Cemetery.
Please share online condolences at www.jenkins-soffe.com.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Sponsored by Jenkins-Soffe Funeral Chapel & Cremation Center - Murray.
3 Entries
Carol,
You amazing, wonderful, accepting, exasperated (with me, many times) woman...thank you. For everything.
You were my French teacher beginning in 1981 on through 1984 when I moved on to bigger things (Kearns High School). You may have been the first person to see my struggle. You were certainly the first to ask me about it. Typical of a troubled teen, I lied to you and said I was fine. You always knew though, you persisted, and you always cared. You always had my back, even when I was wrong. Maybe especially when I was wrong. I played violin at your wedding and was so honored that you had asked.
When my first child was born I was in California, but I called you. When my second was born I was back in Utah and you were at the hospital that evening with 2 of the cutest baby outfits I've ever seen - preemie size because he came so early and because you are you.
We lost touch after that. My fault, not yours. Later you reached out and we talked. You told me about the cancer. I wanted to be there for you but I wasn't. My son, the one you came to see in 1992, had died shortly before we talked in 2011 and I was lost. I'm so so sorry for that.
I looked you up today hoping to tell you I'm sorry and I love you. I can't and I will always regret that. I want to tell you that you saved me more than once. That I have always admired you, especially for never judging and even loving a kid who had grown up nothing like you and was nothing like you and probably didn't meet the standards you held for your own kids. I wanted to tell you thank you again. Thank you always.
I was one of your first students. I can only imagine the thousands of lives you had a positive impact on over the years. Carol, you amazing, brilliant, dear-to-my-heart woman je t'aime et au revoir.
JV
J V
June 19, 2019
I remember Carol from high school as optimistic (such a sunny smile), outgoing, happy and genuine in all she said and did. She obviously persevered, accomplished and forever touched the lives of all those who intersected her circle of life. Just a lovely person. Wishing her family warm, enduring and (especially) comforting memories.
Kathy F.
September 23, 2018
Michael Jensen
September 23, 2018
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