Our loss was heaven's gain on June 22, 2023, when Carol, in her home and surrounded by her children and Bill, her devoted husband of 68 years, peacefully took her last breath.

Carol Knostman Kerley, the oldest of three children, was born May 8, 1934, in Spokane to Adolph and Hazel Knostman.  She grew up in northwest Spokane, attending Finch Elementary, Holy Names Academy, and Marycliff High School.  Carol had a keen and curious mind and graduated from Marycliff as valedictorian. She attended Washington State University on an academic scholarship for one year.  Then, like so many women of her generation, postponed her higher education and career aspirations to marry handsome William Kerley on September 3, 1955.  She and Bill met at a Gonzaga Prep-Marycliff dance.

Bill and Carol's plan to start a family was placed on hold in 1956 when Bill was drafted into the US Army and stationed at Schweinfurt for two years.  Carol joined him there and  the young couple traveled Europe, collecting memories and mementos they have fondly shared with their children and grandchildren in the years that followed.

After returning to the States in 1960, Bill and Carol bought a house in the Shadle neighborhood, joined the recently formed St. Charles Catholic Parish as founding members, and began their family.  Five children followed each other in quick succession- Kathleen, Christopher, William Jr., Maureen, and Theresa.  Carol and Bill valued Catholic education and worked hard and sacrificed to send their children through St. Charles School and Gonzaga Prep.

In addition to her role of full-time wife and mother, Carol volunteered at St. Charles School and Parish, filling many positions over the decades including art teacher, hot lunch coordinator, and Altar Society member.  Later, she continued her devotion to Catholic education at Gonzaga Prep, where she worked in the Development Office as Father Hurley's personal assistant.

Next to her husband and family, Carol's highest passion was art.  She was a gifted sketcher and painter, often bringing her easel on family vacations to paint a landscape she found inspiring.  After her children were grown, fulfilling her dream to finish college, she enrolled at Gonzaga University and earned her degree in art.

Carol was eager to share her love for art with others.  While her children attended St. Charles, Carol taught art there for many years.  After two of her daughters began teaching at St. Thomas More, Carol followed them and taught art to hundreds of students at St. Thomas More before retiring in 2019.  As an art teacher, Carol touched many students.  One student, renowned Spokane sculptor Vince DeFelice, credits Mrs. Kerley's art classes as the spark for his career.

As her children married and started their own families, Carol became a joyful and enthusiastic grandma.  "Cuzzy" sleepovers were an adventure filled with songs, snacks, and classic old movies. The fun continued on family camping trips.  The grandkids, now adults, fondly recall rushing to Grandma's trailer for hot cocoa on cold mornings.

Carol is survived by Bill, her loving husband, her children, Kathleen Panas, Christopher (Jennifer), William Jr. (Julianne), Maureen Durheim (Randy), and Theresa Groshoff (Eric), 15 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, her brother, Ken Knostman (Sue) and her sister, Marilyn DiMaggio Crist (Dale), and many nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be made to St. Charles, St. John Vianney, and St. Thomas More schools' tuition assistance programs.