Carolyn Shown

Carolyn Jadene (Molar) Shown, 86, passed away on September 15, 2026, at Waterford
Assisted Living in Lincoln, Nebraska, while under hospice care.

Carolyn was born May 18, 1940, in Wichita, Kansas, to Jay E. Molar and Roxie (Jantz
Molar) Nelson. Her stepfather was Charles Richard Nelson. She attended school in
Kansas and throughout her working years held a variety of positions, including
employment with the City of Wichita, St. Francis Hospital, food service in area schools,
and Sperry New Holland in Lexington, Nebraska. She retired in 1995.

Carolyn was a hardworking and fiercely independent woman who always kept busy.
She loved her family and friends deeply and had a wonderful sense of humor, enjoying
opportunities to make those around her laugh.

Music was an important part of Carolyn’s life. She especially enjoyed gospel, country,
oldies, and the Jackson 5, and she loved karaoke. She also enjoyed flowers, plants,
and gardening. A talented seamstress, Carolyn enjoyed sewing fleece blankets and
neck pillows. She was known as a careful and enthusiastic thrift-store shopper who
always seemed to find a good buy.

Carolyn had a special love for animals, including her beloved cat, Miss Kitty. She
appreciated life’s simple pleasures, especially the smell of rain and freshly cut grass,
beautiful roses, good food, sweets, hamburgers, and roast beef.

Her faith remained important throughout her life. Carolyn was a member of Lexington
Christian Church in Lexington, Nebraska, and later attended Crossroads Church in
Lincoln until she was no longer able to attend in person. She continued worshiping by
watching church services on television at home.

Carolyn is survived by her daughter-in-law, Dorinda Gobin; son-in-law, Dennis Beery;
three grandchildren, Karen, Terry, and Christopher, and their spouses; four great-
grandchildren, Kayla, Madison, Brittney, and Jordan Lee, and their spouses; four great-
great-grandchildren, Annistin, Clayton, Ella, and Jace; sisters, Louise (Buzz) Cure and
Janet (Clifford) Brown; brothers, Steve (Sharon) Nelson,and Gary Nelson; sisters-in-
law, Marlene Nelson, and Janice Nelson; along with many nieces, nephews, extended
family members, and special friends, including Bob, Cat, Clay, Mandy, and Kathy.

She was preceded in death by her children, Darrel Dean Gobin, Twila Diane (Gobin)
Beery, Tina Marie Gobin, Donald Ray Gobin, and Joy Lynn Gobin; her parents and
grandparents; sister, Yvonne James; brothers, Stoney Nelson and Charles Nelson;
sister-in-law, Marilyn Nelson; and her husbands, Darrel Gobin, Ronnie Beery, Ralph
McNulty, and Dan Shown.

Carolyn chose cremation. A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday,
September 26, 2026. Lincoln Family Funeral Care is in charge of arrangements. Burial
will take place at Evergreen Cemetery in Lexington, Nebraska.

While completing her funeral arrangements, Carolyn was asked what she was most
proud of. She replied that she was proud to have lived as long as she had—and looked
forward to no longer needing oxygen in Heaven. When asked about her favorite sound,
she said she was “just waiting on that last trumpet sound.”

Carolyn faced the end of her life with humor and faith. When asked if she was afraid of
dying, she replied that she wasn’t afraid of dying—she was afraid of getting old.
Those words seem especially fitting for a woman who lived independently, loved deeply,
laughed often, and remained unmistakably herself throughout her 86 years.