Carolyn Rayburn

CAROLYN DE LOIS (BLANKENSHIP) RAYBURN

September 3, 1944 July 29, 2022

Carolyn was born on September 3, 1944 in Brownsville, Tennessee to Claude and Willie Mae Blankenship. Carolyn was the third of six children, growing up primarily in Tennessee, but living in Missouri and Colorado as well. Upon the death of her father in 1957, the family moved to Arvin, California to be near her grandparents.

Carolyn graduated from Arvin High School and went on to have four children. While her children were young, they had the opportunity to live in Germany for four years, spent some time in Kentucky, and later returned to California to be near friends and family again. In April 1989, Carolyn married the love of her life, Gene Rayburn.

Carolyn filled her time with all her favorite things. She was a member of the same Bunco group for over 30 years. She loved doing puzzles, watching movies, Nascar, and baseball. She also had a love for Disney, especially Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. She had a wonderful sense of humor and enjoyed a good prank or playful teasing. She was always the life of the party at any family function.

She loved all of her children dearly and felt blessed to be their mother, but her grandchildren and great grandchildren were the light of her life, bringing her so much joy.

Carolyn was preceded in death by her husband Gene Rayburn, her parents, Claude Blankenship, Willie Mae and Woodrow Jackson, her sisters Dorothy Blankenship and Ann Nelms and her brothers Claudie and Leslie Blankenship.

Carolyn is survived by her children, Kevin (Gina), Kimberly (Ron), Kesslyn (Jay), and Kristi; her sister, Cathy (Bob) Mahaffey; along with many grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and dear friends.

A celebration of Carolyn's life will be held on Friday, September 2nd at 11:00am at the Salty's Banquet Hall in Bakersfield, CA.

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