Carolyn J. Leman

Carolyn J. Leman, 83, passed away on July 25, 2026, surrounded by her loving family in Kansas City. Known to most by her nickname Kedge, she was born on October 17, 1942, in Eureka, IL, to Kathryn and Alpheus Weyeneth.

Kedge graduated from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, where she earned her BSN and practiced community health nursing as a registered nurse for several years. While raising her two daughters, Jill and Jenni, Kedge earned her master’s degree in nursing from the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma. She taught community health nursing at Central State University in Edmond, Oklahoma, before moving with her husband, Gene Leman, and two daughters to Sioux City, Iowa, in 1981. There she taught nursing at Briar Cliff University for 20 years and continued her own education, earning her PhD in gerontology from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in 1989.

In addition to her impressive career as a professor, Kedge was a valued community leader in Sioux City. She served on the boards of Florence Crittenton Home, Hospice of Siouxland, Sunrise Retirement Community, Briar Cliff University, and Mercy Hospital, where she also served as board president. Most recently, Kedge volunteered regularly at Marco Dementia Respite on Marco Island, Florida.

Kedge and Gene first met in the third grade in Eureka, Illinois, and celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary this past June. Over the years, her greatest joy became her four grandkids: Ben, Meg, Allie, and Julie. Fondly known as Grandma, Kedge loved to cook and never missed the chance to make her grandkids’ favorite dishes when they came to visit. She was particularly famous for her potato salad, strawberry flan, Christmas Brownies, sour cream twists, and her specialty, Rusks. She left her family with a legacy of recipes, special-occasion menus, her own versions of holiday games, and countless wonderful memories.

Kedge never stopped learning and exploring new hobbies, and her curiosity led her to learn to knit from her mother and later take classes in wheel throwing pottery and acrylic art. She was generous with her talents and gifted bowls, mugs, paintings, and beautifully knitted blankets to family and friends. While living in Sioux City, Kedge belonged to her bridge club for almost 45 years and was also a longtime member of her book club, Travelers, and Investment Club. When Kedge and Gene moved to Florida full time, she took up golf and bocce, enjoyed her knitting club and book club, and loved playing canasta, gin, and bollocks with their wonderful friends.

Kedge is survived by her husband, Gene Leman of Marco Island, Florida; her sister, Alice O’Brien and her husband Mike of Madison, Wisconsin; her daughter, Jill Williams and her husband Jay of Dakota Dunes, South Dakota, and their children Ben Williams and his fiancée Lauren of Delano, Minnesota, and Meg Wallskog and her husband Joey of Seattle, Washington; her youngest daughter, Jenni Jones and her husband Spencer of Mission Hills, Kansas, and their twin daughters Allie and Julie Jones, both of Chicago, Illinois.

Memorial services for Carolyn Leman will be in Marco Island, Florida, this winter. To give a memorial gift in Kedge’s honor, please send gifts to Marco Dementia Respite. https://www.marcodementiarespite.org/