Carol Jean Kirksey, 94, of Winner, SD passed away on Monday, May 5, 2025 at the Winner Regional Long-Term Care Facility in Winner, SD.  Funeral service will be held on Thursday, May 15, 2025, at 10:30AM at the First Baptist Church in Winner, SD.  Burial will be held Friday, May 16, 2025 at 1:00PM CT at the Pine Slope Cemetery in Belle Fourche, SD.  Visitation will be held one hour prior to funeral service.

Carol Jean Kirksey, 94, of Winner, SD passed away on Monday, May 5, 2025 at the Winner Regional Long-Term Care Facility in Winner, SD.  Funeral service will be held on Thursday, May 15, 2025, at 10:30AM at the First Baptist Church in Winner, SD.  Burial will be held Friday, May 16, 2025 at 1:00PM CT at the Pine Slope Cemetery in Belle Fourche, SD.  Visitation will be held one hour prior to funeral service.

Carol Jean (Delaney) Kirksey was born to Clarence and Veda Delaney on Sept 27th, 1930, on a farm near Carter.  She started grade school near Ideal, SD.  The family then moved to McNealy township where she was joined by a sister, Mary Ellen.  When Carol was in the fourth grade the family moved to Dog Ear township where she attended a small country school through the eight grade and graduated from Winner High School in 1948.

Carol completed a 6-week college program in Spearfish, SD and received her teaching permit.  She then taught school for one year at Star Prairie, decided teaching was what she wanted to do, and went back to college for two years.  This is where she met "the most handsome man she had ever seen", Bill Kirksey.  Bill and Carol fell in love and were married on Dec 24th, 1950, in the little Lakeview Church, near Dog Ear Lake.  To this union six children were born: Debra, Diane, Ginger, Jeff, Wilma, and Ray.

In 1963 Bill was killed in an airplane crash, leaving Carol to raise 6 young children by herself.  Having no income, she went back to teaching but by this time a 4-year degree was required, which meant traveling 2 hours away to take correspondence classes.  She would load up all six kids, drive to Springfield, SD on a Sunday night and back home on Friday night.  After doing this for six years, she obtained her bachelor's degree and began teaching third grade in Winner in 1969.

Carol made sure all six children attended church and Sunday school every week.  Sometimes they were a few minutes late, but they never missed a Sunday.  She had a milk cow for cream and butter, and it provided a calf each year for beef.  She raised hens for eggs, fryers every year, and always had a huge garden from which she canned and froze vegetables for the winter.  She sewed all the kids' clothes, even blue jeans for the boys that looked just like the ones from the store.  Every Christmas Carol would help her kids learn a new song to perform at the church on Christmas Eve.  Diane would play the piano and the rest would stand around her singing for hours; Carol loved this.  She never stopped worrying about her children and the fact that her boys were growing up without a father, but she was so proud of the God loving adults they all turned out to be.

In 1978 Carol married Roger Kirksey, Bill's brother.  She was so happy, the kids all said she didn't' stop smiling for two years.  At this time, she moved to Belle Fourche and taught school in Colony, WY for another 11 years.

In 1987 her faith was tested again as she lost her daughter Ginger, age 32, to cancer.  In 1998 her second husband also died of cancer.  Carol continued to live in their home in Belle Fourche for 16 more years.  Here she was a very active member of the First Congregational Church, enjoying many bible studies and her Ladies Group.

In 2009 Carol herself was diagnosed with stage 4 uterine cancer.  After battling through surgery, chemo and two kinds of radiation treatments, she eventually conquered the disease and lived cancer free for 16 years.

In 2014 Carol moved back to the Winner area, giving up her big house and yard to live in a 10 X 12 room at an assisted living facility and still, she never complained.  For the first few years, Debby would take her to the farm every Friday night where she would stay until Monday mornings.  As Parkinson's continued to weaken her legs and body Carol eventually moved to the Long Term Care Center where she lived for almost 3 years.  The staff there was very kind to her.  She loved them and they loved her.  Carol had a very strong will and a wonderful heart.  Through all her trials, you never once heard her say she was angry with God.  With her never-ending faith, we know she has a large welcoming party waiting to greet her in heaven.

Carol is survived by her children: Debby Engel, Winner SD, Diane (Larry) Kathol, Lincoln NE, Jeff (Terry) Kirksey, Lake Havasu AZ, Wilma (Bill) Keller, Bend OR, Ray (Dina) Kirksey, Centennial CO.  Her sister Mary Ellen (Joe) Prather, Lebanon MO.  15 grandchildren, 35 great grandchildren and 6 great great grandchildren.   Stepchildren: Rich (Sherry) Kirksey, Aladdin WY, Steve (Tina) Kirksey, Belle Fourche SD, Tammy (Allan) Stearns, Belle Fourche SD, Joni (Steve) Taylor, Belle Fourche SD.  12 grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren, and 5 great great grandchildren

She was preceded in death by her parents Clarence and Veda (Burton) Delaney, her husbands Bill Kirksey and Roger Kirksey, daughter Ginger Kirksey Klinger, Son-in-law Eugene (Gene) Engel, Brother-in-law Verdus Sufficool, daughter-in-law Bonnie Kirksey and 2 great grandsons.

Carol will be missed dearly, but we rejoice she is in God's hand now.  All her struggles are over.