Carolyn H. Richert

Carolyn Lewis Richert, a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, teacher and mentor, passed away Feb. 5, 2025, at the University of Kansas Medical Center from health complications. She was surrounded by her family.

Carolyn was married for 61 years to Calvin Richert and was a devoted mother to Carson Richert, Cari Allen, Camin Bell and Carmen Nelson.

She earned a Bachelor of Arts in music education from Kansas City Bible College and later obtained her Montessori teaching certificate from Houston College. As an educator, she was known for her natural understanding of children, guiding them skillfully toward rewarding futures.

 As a friend, she was known for her infectious grace, unconditional love and deep faith in Jesus Christ. Carolyn’s passion for music was evident in her love for playing the piano and autoharp, as well as singing.

She and Calvin served as missionaries in Iran for five years, sharing their faith and compassion. Together, they owned and managed Kiddie Kampus, a school for early childhood development, pioneering innovative teaching and management methods for young children. Throughout her life, she embodied her now-famous motto: “Words either build up or tear down; there is no middle ground.”

Carolyn co-authored, with Calvin, the groundbreaking book The THINK Space, reflecting her commitment to nurturing and guiding children to take responsibility for their own choices in life. She also co-authored Direction With Dignity, a child management course along with more than 120 published articles on wholesome child guidance. Recognized as experts in early childhood development, the couple toured the United States and Canada, delivering more than 1,200 lectures and teaching seminars, both in person and online.

As an extension of her enjoyment of young children, Carolyn collected cute and funny stories that she loved to share with her audiences. Many of these stories were recorded in her coffee-table book, Off the Cuff KidStuff.

Her family and experiences were the centerpiece of her life, and she will be remembered for her unwavering love, warmth, hospitality and dedication to those around her.

Carolyn is survived by her husband, four children, 10 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, who will cherish her memory and the profound impact she had on their lives.

In lieu of flowers, you may donate to Carolyn’s Direction With Dignity legacy fund.

Click here: https://cbcks.ccbchurch.com/goto/giving/public?show_navigation=1

In the ‘Designation’ space, please click on the down arrow to: ‘Carolyn Richert Memorial - DWD’