Caroline F. (White) Hillary, 80, born July 23, 1939 died August 8, 2019 at Arbor Springs in West Des Moines, Iowa after suffering from vascular dementia for several years. She was one of five sisters born in Shickley, Nebraska to Genevieve and Ira White. She married Robert P. Hillary on August 26, 1961. She is survived by their five children: identical twin daughters Teresa Hillary of West Des Moines, Iowa and Tamara Hillary of Elk Grove, California; her only son Thomas Hillary, (April) of Lincoln, Nebraska; Kristine Kenaston of Lincoln and Carrie Cejka (John) also of Lincoln. Caroline was a long time resident of Lincoln, Nebraska before moving to West Des Moines in 2017.
She was a wonderful Mother, but an even better Grandmother. Somewhat tongue in cheek she would remind us that raising children was the price one had to pay to be a Grandmother. She is also survived by her six beloved grandchildren all of whom live in Lincoln, Nebraska: Andrew Hillary; John Cejka, Jillian Cejka, Mathew Cejka, Hillary Kenaston and Hailey Kenaston. She is survived by two sisters, Roma (Bill)Jacque of Tyler, Texas and Iris Wagers of Shickley, Nebraska.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Robert, and her sisters Marilyn White and Rose Hall.
A 1961 graduate of the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, our ‘Punky’ remained a Cornhusker fan to the end. Her grandson John is the fourth generation of her family to attend “The U.” Among the many gifts she gave her children was the love of reading. Weekly trips to the library were a given and a right of passage was achieved when each child obtained their very own library card. All of her children remain dedicated readers to this day.