9/26/1935 – 8/25/2025
Baxter Springs
Carol Sue (Lawhorn) AuBuchon, age 89 of Lawrence, KS, died on August 25, 2025 at Lawrence Memorial Hospital after suffering a stroke. She was born at home on September 26, 1935 to Lester and Elizabeth (Turpin) Lawhorn along with older sisters, Jane and Kathryn, in Baxter Springs, KS. She was a 1953 graduate of Baxter Springs High School and attended Joplin Junior College.
She married David L. AuBuchon on December 27, 1958 at the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Baxter Springs. They were married for nearly 42 years before his death on December 14, 2000. They had two daughters, Susan and Amelia “Amy”.
Carol Sue was blessed to be born into a Christian and musical family. An important part of her life was being a member of the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Baxter Springs. For 50 years, she was a pianist for the congregation and chancel choir alongside her sister, Jane, who accompanied her at the organ; served as Chairman and Member of the Worship Committee and was instrumental in the planning of the new church in Baxter Springs. Early in life, she was a part of the Christian Boosters then the Live Wire Sunday School class.
Carol Sue played the piano for numerous funerals and was a charter member of the Choral Society of Missouri Southern State College, Beta Sigma Phi Sorority and Chairman of the American Red Cross Blood-Mobile canteen.
Carol Sue worked at Spencer Chemical in Riverton, KS from 1954-1960 as a secretary, then a bookkeeper for Dr. Calvin Smith, Dr. L.E. Pickrell and Wolkar Drug and a secretary for the First Christian Church all in Baxter Springs. After raising her children, she worked for American Family Insurance, Baxter Springs from 1991 to 2004.
In 2004, she moved to Lawrence, KS to be closer to her daughters and grandson, Alex. A year later, Nick and Zoya joined the family after being adopted from Russia. She worked a few years for the KU Office of Admissions alongside her daughter Amy. She was active in the Grace Presbyterian Church (PCA) and was a part of the women’s Bible study group.
Survivors include two daughters, Susan (AuBuchon) Clark and husband, Phil, of Paxico, KS and Amelia “Amy” (AuBuchon) Tharp and husband, Chris, of Lawrence, KS. Three grandchildren Captain Alex Tharp, Fort Benning, GA, Nick Stephens, Lawrence, KS and Zoya Stephens, Topeka, KS and good friends, Gerry Steele and Toni Wolkar.
She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, sisters Jane (Lawhorn) Clemons and Kathryn (Lawhorn) Steele, nephew Mike Steele and brother-in-law Floyd Steele, Jr.
A celebration of life service will be held at Grace Presbyterian Church (PCA), Lawrence, KS on Friday, September 12 at 2:00pm. A private family service for the interment of ashes will be held at Jessee Osborne Memorial Cemetery, Joplin, MO.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Stroke Foundation at americanstroke.org/donate
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