Carol Lynn Albertson was born July 29, 1932, at St. Anthony’s Hospital in Hays, Kansas, to Henry and Amelia Albertson.
Carol had a close, affectionate relationship with her parents. She
was very proud that Henry served in World War I under Captain Harry S.
Truman and that he was the Graham County Magistrate Judge for 20 years.
Amelia (Millie) was a loving mother who also served as Carol’s teacher
at Glendale, a one-room schoolhouse near Hill City. Carol was very
dedicated to taking care of Amelia as she aged, visiting her daily while
she resided at Dawson Place.
As Carol was growing up, Curtis, her older brother by four years,
loved looking out for her. They formed a great bond. Through the years
she enjoyed visiting him in Tucson. At the age of 14, Carol met Allen
Trexler while making sodas at the local drugstore. He began walking her
home and they dated off and on for the next five years. They became
engaged while attending Fort Hays State College. Carol and Curtis lived
with their aunt and uncle, Fred and Ruby Albertson, while they attended
college. Fred was a professor at Fort Hays and the Albertson Hall on
campus was named in honor of him.
Allen and Carol were married February 17, 1952, in Hill City. With
the help of Allen’s grandfather, they built a home four miles north of
town later that year. Allen had begun farming with his dad and grandad.
He was also working at the local grocery store owned by his parents, the
Trexler Store. Carol worked for F&M Bank, Kansas-Nebraska Gas
Company and was a loan clerk for USDA.
In 1954, their first child Bradley Allen was born. Their daughter,
Alynn Renee, arrived in 1958 to complete the family. Carol was active in
the United Methodist Church, where she and her friend Loree began the
tradition of the church bazaar. Carol liked helping her children with
4-H projects, cooking, baking, listening to Lynn sing and watching
Brad’s sports activities.
She especially enjoyed attending Lynn’s band gigs and listening to
Brad speak while he served as the Kansas State FFA President. Carol also
enjoyed working part-time at the Fashion Center and at a local floral
shop.
In 1976, Carol was chosen as the most beautiful, naturally
gray-haired woman in a nationwide search. She was flown to Chicago and
photographed there. The portrait on this program was hung in beauty
shops all over the world. Allen remembers seeing her photo in a mall in
Montreal when they traveled to New England and Canada in the fall of
that same year.
One of Carol’s greatest joys was being a grandmother to Meredith,
Brittney, Gabe, and Keali. She always had a collection of bears ready
for tea parties and loved baking with her granddaughters. Her signature
dessert was her famous homemade apple pie. Her home was always open for
sleepovers and she also had great memories of hosting many family
holidays. She and Allen loved attending horse shows as Meredith and
Brittney grew up. One summer they followed Brad, Kim, and the girls to
32 locations, never missing a moment!
Over the last few years, Carol enjoyed spending time with her
great-grandchildren: Blakeli, Briggs, Myles, and Marli. She also looked
forward to family dinners at Kim’s house on the farm and on Jeff and
Meredith’s deck. She and Allen made short road trips to Norton to share
meals with Ty and Lynn as well.
February 17, 2021, Carol and Allen celebrated their 69th wedding
anniversary. Four days later, February 22, 2021, she departed this earth
in Hill City. Carol was preceded in death by her parents Henry and
Amelia Albertson; her brother, Curtis Albertson; and her son, Bradley
Trexler. Carol is survived by her husband, Allen Trexler, Hill City;
daughter, Alynn (Ty) Bruton, Norton; daughter-in-law, Kim Trexler, Hill
City; grandchildren: Meredith (Jeff) Drees, Hill City, Brittney (Jerad)
Johnson, Colby, Gabe Bruton, Scottsbluff, Nebraska, Keali Bruton,
Norton; and eight great-grandchildren.
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