Carolyn Pretzer

Carolyn Ann (Barndt) Pretzer, 78 years old, of Manhattan, died at Stoneybrook Retirement Community, October 3, 2009, after a courageous battle with lung cancer. She was born and raised in Garnett, Kansas where she graduated as valedictorian of her high school class. She attended Kansas University in Lawrence on a scholarship and later transferred to Kansas State University in Manhattan where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics and Teaching in May of 1954. She was married while attending Kansas State University and after both she and her husband graduated she moved with him to several Air Force bases while raising their three children. They lived in southeast Kansas, including returning for several years in Garnett and then in Columbia, Missouri before returning to Manhattan where the three children graduated from high school and where she remained until her death. Carolyn was employed in 1977 as the curator of the emerging audiovisual aids collection of what was then the College of Architecture and Design. Upon her retirement from Kansas State University she was named Director-Emeritus of the Krider Center. She was recognized in May of 1998 for 20 years of dedicated service to the Kansas State University College of Architecture, Planning, and Design. Carolyn was a long time member of First United Methodist Church in Manhattan and previously the First United Methodist Church in Garnett. She is survived by her daughters Janis Thomas and husband Kelly of Yukon, OK, and Denise Pretzer of Webster Groves, MO and her son, Mark Pretzer of Manhattan, KS. She has five grandchildren, whom she adored above all else; Stephen Pretzer, Jeremy Meyer, Cassandra Pretzer, Jennifer Thomas and William Patton. She also leaves behind beloved cousins and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, Clarence and Florence Barndt and a brother, Robert (Bobby) Barndt of Garnett, KS. Funeral services will be held at 3:00 PM Saturday, October 10th, at the Feuerborn Family Funeral Service Chapel, Garnett with interment following in the Garnett Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be given to Homecare and Hospice, Inc. of Manhattan or the Terry C. Johnson Center for Basic Cancer Research. Contributions may be left in care of the Feuerborn Family Funeral Service, PO BOX 408, Garnett, Kansas 66032. Condolences may be left for the family at www.feuerbornfuneral.com .