Carolyn Ridley Vertrees

Carolyn Ridley Botto Vertrees, 94, of Elizabethtown, died Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024, at Helmwood Healthcare in Elizabethtown.

Born in Glasgow on June 11, 1930, to Maynard "M.M." and Ola Mae Ridley Botto, she grew up in Munfordville, a place and a time she loved and spoke of fondly all her life. After graduating from Western Kentucky University in 1952 with degrees in home economics and library science, she moved to Bardstown, where she taught high school English at My Old Kentucky Home High School until her marriage in 1957 to Clarence Taber Vertrees. They were married 41 years until his death in June 1998. They had two children, Martha and Stephen, for whom she consistently modeled her belief that if a job is worth doing, it is worth doing well, whether working with her roses, sewing Halloween costumes or her daughter's clothes, preparing family meals and tasty desserts, handling family finances or volunteering with Red Cross bloodmobiles or as an election poll worker. All her life she devoted herself to home, family, church, friendships, and community service.

A longtime member of Severns Valley Baptist Church, she was also a charter member of Elizabethtown Baptist Church. When the family moved to North Carolina in 1974, her church involvement continued at First Baptist Church Laurinburg. She served in varied ways in all these churches, but her greatest accolades came through the years as she encountered those she had taught in children's Sunday school who expressed their appreciation. She was a woman of faith who loved God and lived her faith in service to others. Among her many gifts was her ability to make community wherever life took her, even in the last months of her life with caregivers.

In addition to her parents and husband, Carolyn was preceded in death by a brother, Joe Donald Botto; a sister-in-law, Dorothy Botto; and stepmother, Mildred Moore Botto.

Survivors include a daughter, Martha Vertrees Jones (Robert) of Kernersville, North Carolina; a son Stephen Vertrees (Cissy) of Waynesville, North Carolina. Among the greatest joys of her life were her four grandchildren, Timothy Jones (Caitlin) of Zionville, North Carolina, Nathan Jones (Barbara) of Wilmington, North Carolina, David Vertrees of Waynesville and Rebekah Vertrees of Denver, Colorado. She also was the great-grandmother of Noah, Logan, Sawyer and Elia Jones. Additionally she held dear her "Kentucky daughter" Sharon Collins (Stanley) and other special neighbors, who were family to her and whose care and attention were unwavering.

Many loving caregivers assisted her at home in the last months of her life. To the staff at Helmwood, especially the nurses, CNAs and others on the North Hall, her family thanks each one of you for your tireless efforts on her behalf. Of you she said, "These are the nicest people here."

A memorial service is at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, at Brown Funeral Home in Elizabethtown with the Rev. Wanda Dobbins officiating.

Visitation starts one hour before the service and will continue for an hour following the service. A livestream of the service will be available at brownfuneral.com.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation, Hosparus Health Central Kentucky or a charity of your choice.