Carolyn Nosser

Carolyn Ann McKee Nosser 1933 to 2013 Age 79

Carolyn Ann McKee Nosser was born in Napton, Missouri, on July 23, 1933, to Ernest M. McKee and Mamie Luella Torrance McKee.

Carolyn's early years were spent in Blackwater, Missouri; she started school in Pilot Grove, Missouri, and moved to Lamar, Missouri, in 1944. In 1946 the family moved to El Dorado, Missouri where her father Ernest was Superintendant of Schools. Once again in 1950, the family moved when Ernest McKee became the Superintendant of Schools in Potosí, Missouri, she moved to Potosi, Missouri.
After her high school graduation, she married Abraham Nosser of Mineral Point, Missouri, on April 7, 1952, in Pocahontas, Arkansas, during his furlough from the United States Air Force. The couple moved to Roswell, New Mexico Air Force Base. There Carolyn worked for Land Air Corporation as Secretary to the company's President. The couple then moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming Air force base for the duration of Abraham's service to His country towards the end of the Korean War in 1956.

Carolyn and Abraham moved to back to Missouri with their first two children, Carol Linda and Steven E. Nosser. That same year, they started on a long line of business ventures with the opening of Nosser Auto Sales and Parts in De Soto, Missouri. This first venture was extremely successful for the next 10 years and the Nossers grew their family with the addition of Sandra Lea in 1960. Carolyn was active in the business as Bookkeeper.

A transitional business year was 1969 when the Nossers invested in and operated many hotel business ventures starting with The Inn St. Louis at I-55 and Butler Hill Road, St. Louis, Missouri. In 1975 the couple sold to Drury Inns and moved to Vernon, Texas, after purchasing the Ramada Inn there.

In 1976 they formed Select Inns Management Company, Inc. that specialized in hotel acquisitions, and management of full service hotels across the country. Carolyn played a key role in the operations of the hotels as Director of Finance which included the Holiday Inn at the Coliseum and Ramada Inn at the Airport in Portland, Oregon in 1977. After purchasing the Park Inn in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, in 1984, they returned to the Midwest.

Putting successful hotel operations aside in 1984, they moved back to Missouri, returning to their business roots with Auto Market, Inc. in Halltown, Missouri. Upon retirement in 1996, they moved to Wichita Falls, Texas, where Carolyn was assistant financial officer for Zooth, a company partially owned by her son Steve. Carolynwas crucial to advancing the company to number one market share with Children's toothbrush in the United States. Carolyn retired from Zooth in 1999, finally joining her husband in retirement in Carthage, Texas, where the couple lived and enjoyed traveling in the states and abroad until 2011 when they moved back to the Halltown, Missouri, area, where she passed away on March 22, 2013.

Carolyn was a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Girl Scout leader, member of numerous business organizations, devoted wife and accomplished business partner to her husband Abraham of 60 years. Through Carolyn's unique ability to give of herself to others providing caring sound advise she enhanced the lives of her family, friends and many a stranger. As businesswoman, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, aunt, sister, and family anchor, she will be sorely missed. But , her positive influences and life lessons will live long in those that she called "family and friends. She was known by her children and grandchildren as Mamoo, Mamma Boo, the Boo of Boos, Super Boo, and finally after the birth of her first great-grandchild as the Great Grand Super Boo.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Mamie McKee, and her father, E.M. McKee.

She is survived by her husband Abraham of Ash Grove, Missouri; one brother, William Ernest McKee, of Alma, Arkansas; three children, Carol L. Snelson of Mt. Vernon, Steven E. Nosser of Arrington, Tennessee, and Sandra L Griffin of Centralia, Washington; nine grandchildren, Terica L. Gatewood and Chabe H. Snelson of Topeka, Kansas, Carlene B. Snelson of Nashville, Christopher Nosser, of Wichita Falls, Texas, Lauren Nosser and Jack Nosser of Arrington, Tennessee, Chelsea Kuykendall of Athens, Georgia, Audrey M. Rouse and Nicholas M. Griffin of Centralia, Washington; and one Great-Granddaughter, Kennedy Paige Gatewood of Topeka. The extended family includes over 50 nieces and nephews, grand nieces and nephews living in primarily in Texas, Missouri, and Illinois.

Burial services were provided by DeClue – Britton Funeral Home Potosi, Missouri, and she was laid to rest at Redbud Memorial Gardens in Potosi , Missouri March 25, 2013.