Carolyn Sumners Goebel

Carolyn Sumners Bledsoe Goebel,83, died on Thursday, February 19, 2015. Carolyn’s family will receive friends and family at a reception in her honor in the parish hall of St. Paul’s-on-the-Plains Episcopal Church on Friday, February 27 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Memorial services will be held on Saturday, February 28 at 11:00 a.m., also at St. Paul’s, 1510 Avenue X, Lubbock. Officiants will be the Rev. James Haney, V and Carolyn’s cousin, the Rev. Charles Sumners, III. Inurnment will be in the St. Paul’s columbarium. Carolyn was born in El Paso on July 8, 1931 to Scott and Roberta (Sumners) Bledsoe. Her grandfather, W.H. Bledsoe, was a pioneer Lubbock lawyer and state senator. He wrote the bill that established Texas Technological College. She arrived with her family in Lubbock in 1935 when her father joined Plains Broadcasting Company as the engineer for KFYO Radio. She attended school in Amarillo and Lubbock, graduating from Lubbock High School in 1948. Carolyn attended Sul Ross and Texas Technological College, where she was a member of Ko Shari social club. She earned a BA degree in History in 1952. Carolyn married Rodney Goebel on August 2, 1953 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Their two children are Doris Elizabeth (Betsy) Goebel Jones of Lubbock and Marianna Goebel Duncan of Lufkin. Grandchildren are Scott Duncan and Callie and Ben Jones. To her grandchildren and their friends, Carolyn was known as “Goldie.” Carolyn was a natural and passionate educator. From 1960 to 1964 she served as Principal of St. Christopher’s Episcopal School, now All Saints Episcopal School. Later she served on the board of trustees of All Saints School. She received a MA degree in history from Texas Tech in 1969 and taught social studies at O.L. Slaton and Evans junior high schools. While at Evans, Carolyn led groups of Lubbock students to Washington D.C. for many years during spring break. She was named LISD Coordinator for Social Studies in 1982. At LISD she led such programs at as Mock Trial and History Fair. She served as a member of social studies organizations on the local, state and national levels. She served a term as president of the Texas Council for the Social Studies (TCSS) in 1986-87. She served on the nominating committee for the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) for four years, ending as chairperson. In 1990 and 1992 she helped lead groups of high school students from the Lubbock area to Japan as part of the Lubbock Junior Ambassadors project, a goodwill mission to Japan. She served on local civic committees such as the Lubbock County Centennial Committee, the Lubbock Lakesite Committee and the Lubbock International Cultural Center Board of Directors. The Lubbock County Bar Association awarded her the Liberty Bell in 1990, an award to a non-attorney who has made a contribution the law field. She was awarded the top award given by TCSS in 1991, the Billy Sills Award, and a Leadership Award by NCSS in 1992. Carolyn retired from LISD in May 1993. For the next five years she worked part-time with Texas Tech University College of Education’s social studies student teachers. In 1995 she was honored by her elementary school, Roscoe Wilson, with the school’s first Hall of Fame award, shared with another Lubbockite, Buddy Holly. Carolyn was active at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Northwest Texas. She participated the Episcopal Church Women, the Altar Guild, and Daughters of the King, as well as the vestry. She also served as diocesan chairman of the United Thank Offering. In July 2009 the Diocese of Northwest Texas selected her to be their National Honored Woman. She is survived by her husband, Rodney; two daughters and their husbands, Betsy and Robert Jones of Lubbock and Marianna and Rufus Duncan, Jr. of Lufkin; grandchildren Scott Duncan, Callie Jones, and Ben Jones; two sisters-in-law, Betty Schulle and Marjorie Bledsoe; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by two brothers Scott Bledsoe, Jr., and William H. Bledsoe and two sisters, Lois Funnell and Kathryn Tunnell. For the previous two years, she was a resident of Carillon House. Memorials may be made to St. Paul’s-on-the-Plains Episcopal Church,1510 Ave. X,Lubbock, TX 79408; All Saints Episcopal School, 3222 103rd St. Lubbock, TX 79423, or a charity of your choice.

Carolyn Sumners Goebel

July 8, 1931 - February 19, 2015