Carolyn J. Frei

9/21/1937 — 1/27/2024

Service Date: 3/2/2024
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Carolyn Jones Frei, formerly of Lewiston, passed away on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024, at Celia’s House, a residential hospice in Medford, Ore., surrounded by family. She was 96. Carolyn was exceptionally gifted in language arts, having been an elementary and high school teacher, a debate coach, a poet, an ardent supporter of civic causes and libraries, author and editor and a wonderful grandma.

Carolyn was born in Wichita Falls, Texas, on Sept. 21, 1927, the second daughter of Walter A. Jones and Eulalee Greer Jones. Carolyn’s early life mirrored the times. She spent her early years in Texas and Oklahoma during the Great Depression.

On March 18, 1937, she was a fourth grader in New London, Texas, an oilfield boom town, when she survived a natural gas explosion at her school. She was rescued by her teacher but her older sister, who was an eighth grader, and an uncle, a high school senior, were among the 294 fatalities. Two days later, she addressed the Texas Legislature in joint session to plead for safer schools.

On Jan. 14, 1946, Carolyn married Bert H. Morris in Ardmore, Okla. They briefly operated a service station in nearby Springer, Okla., before relocating to Twin Falls. Bert worked for a petroleum wholesaler and Carolyn at a radio station. They welcomed twin sons, Ricky and Ronnie, on March 23, 1951, followed by daughter Ellen 13 months later. While the children attended classes at St. Edward’s Catholic School, Carolyn began teaching there.

The family maintained their relationships with Oklahoma and Texas relatives by regular trips by car or by train. Among the kids’ fondest memories were those travels and the exotic stops along the way: the Grand Canyon, sunrise on the Navajo Reservation, Mesa Verde and learning to shoot water moccasins in the stock tank at Grandma’s place. Not to mention the fireworks.

In the summer of 1960, the family relocated 375 miles north to Grangeville, where Bert operated the Texaco wholesaler. Carolyn finished her B.A. and master’s in education at the University of Idaho and taught English, journalism, speech and debate at Grangeville High School. The kids graduated from high school and then went off to college.

On Aug. 28, 1975, Bert died in a vehicle accident, beginning a new chapter in Carolyn’s life. She met Ray C. Frei, who had taken care of his mother for years at the request of his father. They married in March 1978. She retired from teaching in 1981.

Love of travel runs in the family. She and Ray traveled with family and friends to Europe and visited his relatives. They went to Rome and the Holy Land, Hawaii, the British Isles (including Ireland and Wales), to Russia, Japan and China. Her sole travel regret was missing Australia.

Carolyn kept up with her grandkids and their children, spread from Portland to Boston. Ray’s nieces and nephews were of course “family” as well.

Ray predeceased her on Feb. 23, 2021.

She is survived by her children: Richard L Morris, MD (Pam) of Ashland, Ore.; Ronald M. Morris of Casper, Wyo., and Ellen McKenzie (Frank) of Boise; her sister, Ann Rempel (Dr. John) of Wichita, Kan., and their five children; and her nine grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.

The rosary will be recited at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 2, at Assumption Catholic Church, 460 Maple St., Ferdinand, followed by the funeral Mass at 11 a.m., with Rev. Fr. Paul H. Wander officiating. A graveyard service, officiated by Aaron Morris, CSC, will follow in the Frei Family Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the library of your choice or to St. Gertrude Monastery, 465 Keuterville Road, Cottonwood, ID 83522.

Service Information

Date & Time: Saturday, March 2, 11:00 AM
Location: Assumption Catholic Church
460 Maple Street
Ferdinand, ID 83526

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Additional Details: Rosary will begin at 10:30 a.m. Burial will follow at Frei Family Cemetery.