Carolyn Ann Bone

Carolyn Ann Bone passed away on June 22, 2023, surrounded in a sacred space of peace and love by her family and friends who adored her.

Carolyn was born on November 18, 1946, in Louisville, Kentucky, to Dorothy Hack and Richard Tilford Ewell. Her adventurous life started at the age of five, when her family spent two years in Okinawa, Japan. They eventually settled in Little Rock, Arkansas, where Carolyn graduated early from Hall High School at age 16 and then went on to graduate from the University of Arkansas with a degree in Elementary Education. She obtained a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Intervention from the University of Utah, while working full time and raising her four children.

While attending college and working her first teaching job at a school in the Highland Park area of Little Rock, Arkansas, a notoriously segregated area, Carolyn met and married David Bone. They moved to Shreveport, Louisiana for a year while David did his medical internship and she continued to teach young children in an underserved area. It was also during this time that she fulfilled her lifelong dream of owning a horse, whom she named Horsey. In 1972, they moved to Germany where David was a physician in the army. During those years, Carolyn and David toured all of Europe in their Volkswagen van with son Jim and daughter Jennifer in tow. They made the most of their experience, developing a love of travel, creating lifelong friendships, and falling in love with the mountains and skiing. In 1976, when David’s military duty was over, the family moved to Salt Lake City where David began his residency program. Jonathan was born, and 5 years later came the arrival of Susannah. David and Carolyn bought a house in the Avenues in 1979, which remained Carolyn’s home until she passed.

Carolyn began her early childhood intervention career in Utah at The Children’s Center, and served as the Director of Preschool at Rowland Hall St. Mark’s School. She then spent close to 30 years with the Salt Lake City School District advocating for children with special needs. This work included many years with Head Start at Matheson and Washington Elementary schools. She eventually became the coordinator of early childhood special education for the Salt Lake City School District. She affected countless children and their families, providing them with resources and guidance and offered unconditional support. She believed in the greatness of all children. Moreover, she had a magical gift of connecting with children in a way few people can. She also mentored young professionals by offering them their first opportunity to work with this underserved population.

Carolyn’s love of adventure led her to trek in Nepal with friends, to travel to Costa Rica with her son Jim for a String Cheese Incident concert, to tour Japan with her granddaughter Cassidy, and to journey through Kenya with her daughter Susannah. In the last few years, she was especially fond of traveling to Sayulita, Mexico, and to Torrey, Utah, with her family.

Carolyn loved live music and introduced her children to classic bands from the 60’s and 70’s. Her playlist included John Prine, Lou Reed, Guy Clark, Leonard Cohen, Joan Baez, Pink Floyd, and the Grateful Dead. Losing her hearing due to cancer complications was devastating for her but she never complained.

Carolyn thrived on traditions and provided us with endless opportunities to gather together with love and chaos. Anyone who celebrated a holiday or occasion at Carolyn’s will remember it forever.

So many people (hundreds!) have memories of being at the Bone house. Carolyn always made her home a place where people wanted to be. Plants, flowers, holiday decorations, good food, burning candles, and music could always be found. She had a crowded table, and a place by the fire for everyone.

Carolyn was cool. She was funny. She was kind. She hated peas (and beans) and loved Rosemary Flatbread from Trio. She was opinionated, strong, gracious, could start a conversation with anyone, and was proud of her stance as a pacifist. Carolyn could recite “Gone With the Wind” from start to finish and loved watching the Kentucky Derby every year.

We will forever be grateful for the experiences she provided to her children and grandchildren (and all of their friends) and for instilling in us the importance of tradition, adventure, education, and family.

After being diagnosed with cancer in 2017 with a life expectancy of only six weeks, Carolyn, being the incredibly stubborn person that she was, said, “I think not!” and graced us with six more years of life. She was bound and determined to keep on living and woke up each morning, regardless of how she was feeling, with an insatiable will to persevere. Her determination earned her the name “Golden Child” by her oncologist.

Carolyn was preceded in death by her parents and by David. She is survived by her sister Jane Martin (Steve); Children Jim Bone, Jennifer Bone, Jonathan Bone (Clover Sanders), Susannah Bone (Ben Williams), and grandchildren Cassidy Bone; Sophie, Annabelle and Finn Hannah; Leo and Nona Bone, her beloved dog, Charles, and Granddog Bridger. As well as many nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her dearest friends, Joe, Susan, Joe Jr. Culbertson and Courtney Culbeck, and by Bob, Gail, Alex and Jessica Sanders and the bonus grandchildren she adored as her own.

The family would like to thank the team at Huntsman Clinic 1A- Dr. Wallace Akerley, Nurse Practitioner Laura Cannon, Nurse Kelly Moynahan, and the many other medical staff that supported her through this process.

A Celebration of Life will take place on Friday July 7, 2023 from 6:00-8:00 PM at Stark’s Funeral Parlor, 3651 South 900 East, Salt Lake City. Guests are encouraged to use parking and entrance located on the north side of the building.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making contributions in Carolyn’s name to The Children’s Center.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Starks Funeral Parlor. Please visit www.Starksfuneral.com to share photos and memories with Carolyn’s family.