Carol Lynn (Gilbert) Kuchar

October 12, 1947 – March 13, 2025

Carol Lynn (Gilbert) Kuchar, age 77, passed away peacefully after a battle with lung cancer on Thursday, March 13, 2025, surrounded by the love of her family and& friends. Born to Jim and Florence Gilbert on October 12, 1947, in Bedford, Ohio, Carol was the beloved wife of John R. Kuchar for 53 years. Together they built a life filled with love, laughter and support.

Carol grew up in Solon, Ohio. After high school graduation, she attended Christian College in Columbia, Missouri (later called Columbia College). Her pursuit of a career brought her back to Solon, where she started working in retail sales at Higbee’s department store. Shortly after her return to Solon, she met and married John.

Throughout their 53 years of marriage, Carol and John lived in seven different cities across five states, taking up a variety of hobbies together. After starting their life together in Solon, Ohio, John’s work took them to Houston, Texas, and then later to Naperville, Illinois. During this time, they owned several sailboats and entertained family and friends on a regular basis. Their next stop would be the small town of Port Washington, Wisconsin, where they built their first home. There they decided to trade in sailing for power boating and also took up riding Harleys. They would ride the countryside with groups of friends and even attended the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Carol loved Harleys so much that she had a special Harley Christmas tree, in addition to the beautifully decorated main tree. Later they purchased a second home in Vail, Colorado, and spent time skiing and taking summer hikes. Carol and John frequently invited family and friends to join them in these adventures. And of course, there was more entertaining, including John’s early morning breakfasts on the grill, happy hours on the deck, and beautiful sunset dinners.

Wanting to be closer to their children, they moved from Port Washington to Austin, Texas, while keeping the house in Vail. In Austin, they quickly formed a new circle of friends through motorcycling and volunteering at a local charity, the Assistance League of Austin. Carol volunteered in the charity’s Thrift House and was proud to be a part of Operation School Bell, which helps school-age children with school clothing and toiletries. Carol and John were also active participants in the Honor Flights, serving as chaperones in the Austin airport. Their last move was to Sun City in Georgetown, Texas, where they made even more friends through group activities like dance lessons, the veteran’s club, and the travel club. They continued their love of entertaining.

Carol’s family will always have fond memories of the Memorial Day pool parties and summer birthday parties in Austin. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter were Carol’s favorite holidays, and wherever she and John lived, there were plenty of decorations, food and drinks to go around.  She loved being the consummate hostess!

Carol was preceded in death by her parents, Jim and Florence Gilbert; stepdaughter, Lori McAllister; stepson-in-law, Ray McAllister; and stepdaughter-in-law, Beverly Kuchar. She is survived by her husband, John R. Kuchar; stepson, John R. Kuchar Jr; stepdaughter, Sheri Furley; grandson Jason Kuchar, grandson Jonathan Kuchar and his wife, Kimberly; great-grandsons Daniel Kuchar and Ryan McAllister; her sister, Ruth (Gilbert) Brickley; and brother, Jim Gilbert III.

Carol’s warmth and generosity will be remembered by family and friends alike. She will be missed dearly.

The memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, at The Worship Place in Sun City in Georgetown, Texas.