Loreen Caraway

Loreen "Laurie" Caraway, age 83 passed away August 20, 2015 at Olathe Medical Center. Loreen was born Aug. 31, 1931 in Melville, Saskatchewan, Canada to Levi and Ellen Watt Walden. She grew up in Canada and graduated from nurses training in Weyburn, Saskatchewan, Canada in 1954. She then came to the United States on a work visa to work as a psychiatric nurse where she met her late husband Kenneth "Kenny" while he was home on leave from the Marine Corps. They were united in marriage on May 16, 1955 in Holbrook, AZ. In the years that followed Loreen worked at K & I Psychiatric Hospital in Topeka, KS. After their move to Olathe, KS, she worked at Osawatomie State Hospital in Osawatomie, KS. Once the family moved to Paola, KS Loreen took the position of school nurse at Lakemary Center when they opened their doors in 1969 and continued to be "Nurse Caraway" to many special needs children until her retirement in 1994. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Paola and taught Sunday school for over 30 years to the first grade class. She and Kenneth moved to Fort Scott, KS in 2003 where she enjoyed attending the Fort Scott First Christian Church and she was a member of the "Wendy's Day" ladies group where they would all go to eat after their monthly meeting. She loved her fellowship with this group of ladies very much and treasured every outing with them. She then moved back to Olathe, KS in 2011 to live with her son Russell where she remained until the time of her passing. Her hobbies where many but after moving in with her son she became an avid sports fan and they spent many times together watching the Chiefs. Loreen was forever in love with Kenneth and was a very compassionate and caring Mom, a loving and fun-filled G-Ma and had just recently become a Great-Grandmother. Loreen will be greatly missed but never forgotten by family and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Kenneth, brother Harvey Walden, sister Marion Meko, and brother Lee Walden. Survivors are one brother Elmer Walden of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, daughter Kathy Boswell and husband John of Camdenton, MO, daughter Tammy Medlin and husband Rick of Paola, daughter Kindre Einerson and husband John of Smithville, MO, son Russell Caraway of Olathe, KS, 5 grandchildren Tanis Caraway, Jeffrey Caraway , Kylie, Ian, & Summer "Princess Elf" and one great granddaughter Nalu Caraway. Memorial contributions by be made to St. Jude Children"s Research Hospital or the ASPCA. To share a memory of Loreen or leave a special condolence message for her family, please click the Share Memories button above. Beagle Cemetery, rural Osawatomie, KS Service: Wednesday, August 26, 2015 at 2:00 PM Visitation: No Visitation