Carolynn Jo Key-Suhr, 54, of Tekamah NE

Carolynn Jo Key-Suhr was born in Kansas City, Missouri on March 9, 1961 to Richard and Mary (Marr) Key. She spent her formative years in Missouri, Oahu, Hawaii, San Antonio, Texas and Tekamah, Nebraska. After graduating from high school she moved to Omaha, Nebraska where she developed and ran a very successful title company. Carolynn died peacefully in her parents’ home on Sunday, February 28, 2016, after a long battle with cancer.

Her life took on unfathomable joy with the birth of her sons Ian Frederick and Ryan Richard. Immersing herself in this role, she provided a healthy, stable and fun home. Her boys not only had the opportunity to grow up; they grew down with strong, deep roots and values.

Carolynn always exuded a sense of adventure, wonder and humor perfectly balanced with a solid grounding. You could see this in her eyes, and feel it in her spirit. Devoted, caring and loving mother, daughter, sister, aunt, cousin and friend, Carolynn saw the possibilities in every person and situation, and those possibilities functioned as a beacon…a stream of light, hope and ideas.

Her laughter was infectious, as was her smile. A talented artist in multiple modalities, her talents will be part of her lasting remembrance. She respected the past and its wisdom, while gravitating toward the future and its wonders. Yet she was able to always be Present.

Being diagnosed with cancer meant a different and new journey for Carolynn. Even during long stays at hospitals, she’d enlist the support of staff to go visit with other hospital patients, spreading joy, laughter and harmless mischief to brighten everyone’s day. One of the nurses affectionately dubbed her “Elf”.

Unstoppable, she trained as a massage therapist with a focus on cancer treatment; with friends and colleagues, she started a clinic in Asheville, North Carolina specializing in eastern and oriental techniques in an integrative approach – helping others living with cancer. They aptly named the clinic The Sunshine Institute.

She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Richard and Mamie Key, Vere and Mabel Marr.

She is survived by her parents, Richard and Mary Key; sons, Ian and Ryan Key-Suhr; brother, Doug (Wendy) Key; nephews, Charles (Caroline) Key, Richard (Jessica) Key; niece, Niki Horak; brother Michael Key; nephews, Casey, Matthew and Jordan Knowlton-Key, Chad and Cody Knowlton; niece, Cami Widvey; cousins and friends.

Visitation will be held Fri., March 4th from 9:00-10:00 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Tekamah.

The Funeral Service is at 10:00 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Tekamah.

Burial is in the Tekamah Cemetery.

Carolynn Key-Suhr