Obituary of Carolyn Mae McArthur

On grandpa Guy F. McArthur’s birthday August 27, 1950 Dave and Luella Barber McArthur and daughter, Cathie, welcomed Carolyn Mae McArthur into their lives. Although Dave and Lue farmed and lived in a basement dugout southeast of Burlington, they wanted to offer more for their girls. Their journey took them to Southern California where Dave learned the auto body profession and Lue was tour guide for Colorado relatives when they came to visit. After several years of California living, Dave found it to be too crowed to offer his family a good life. They move back to Burlington Colorado in 1962 so his girls could be safe and get a good education. Carolyn was a studious and highly motivated individual. She graduated from Burlington with the Class of l968. While in school she was homecoming queen attendant her senior year, member of National Honor Society, Honor Choir, and varsity cheerleader all 4 years of high school. After high school she attended several colleges to accomplish her goals. During this time she was chosen to spend two years as an intern for the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C. When she returned to Colorado she became head curator of Native American Indian Artifacts at the Colorado History Museum. She worked in this position for over 12 years. While employed at the Colorado History Museum she was personally chosen by the tribal fathers of a Washington State Indian tribe to return to them a ceremonial tribal blanket found in Colorado. With the blanket handcuffed to her, she escorted the $1.5 million dollar blanket herself to the tribal fathers in Washington State. On January 14,1980 she was given the greatest gift and challenge of her life. She became a mother to John Gabriel McArthur. Carolyn chose to be a single parent and provide the best for him. While living and working at the museum in Denver, she made sure her son received a good education and upon graduation he received honors from the University of Chicago. Although she was experiencing the empty nest syndrome as all parents do, she never relaxed fulfilling her goals. She graduated from Regis University with honors and went on to take courses over the internet from the University of Phoenix to become a parapsychologist. A few years earlier her son, John, was diagnosed with mental health issues and she wanted to educate herself so she could help him. As she became more educated in the mental help field, she could then try to understand why her son was acting the way he was. She loved him like no other mother could but mental health is still an unknown field with no cure or any pill can control. She went to work for the VA Hospital in Albuquerque at the time of her death. Carolyn Mae McArthur, at the age of 66, passed away at her home on May 9, 2017. Preceding her in death were her parents David E. and Luella M. McArthur; Grandparents Guy F. and Myrtle McArthur; Frank and Bertha Boss Barber along with many aunts and uncles. Surviving is her son John Gabriel. Sister Cathie (Tom) Kneedler of Akron; niece Wendi (Jack) Barnhart of Colby KS.; nephew Corby (Amy), step great niece Daisha Riofrio, great nephew Tuck Kneedler all of Akron. Plus many cousins and friends.