Carol Lynn

Carol’s life is best described by people and place and God’s timing.

Born in Everett in 1947 to Amby and Pauline Schultz, followed by sisters Marcie (Burt Tulkki) and Becky (Scott Huntley), Carol graduated from PLU, married Bill Bysinger and moved to Kansas to begin her first career as a teacher and to start her family with children John (Sarah Love) and Amber (Steve Morse). Returning to the northwest, Kirkland became her forever home where she raised her family and was gifted grandchildren (Kendall Bysinger and Ella Morse). She met Joyce Foy (Marty) when their children were little, and Joyce became a longtime friend and part of her ‘family of choice.’ For over 20 years with her loving partner Jerry Johnson, Carol was welcomed into his family and friend group. Together they travelled, camped and had escapades together.

Carol’s journey with cancer was long, sneaky and unique. It may have ultimately taken her but, more importantly, it gave her 25 unexpected years in the middle to explore and develop new parts of herself. Against odds she was determined to keep her Kirkland home which became a safe haven for many people just when they needed it (you know who you are and you know how much she loved you). Ever a creative person with unique interests, Carol leaned to fly and even built an airplane in her garage-an homage to her love of power tools and to a woman’s potential. She had several jobs but found her passion as a birth doula where she supported parents as they brought a new child into the world. Always a life long learner Carol jumped into learning all about her new profession—she only wished she had found it sooner. It was in the doula community where she cemented and acted on her beliefs about professionalism, compassion, and equity.

Trying not to look back with ‘what if’ or ‘if only’ on past experiences Carol wanted to learn from them and be available to others to listen, mentor, give opinions or express wry humor. Her super power was having grit and determination--and looking for solutions to potential problems (even though her little sister teased that maybe those problems wouldn’t come). Of particular joy was the special privilege to walk alongside her granddaughter Kendall (Ava Kinnick) sharing the ups, downs and sideways of growing up…and instilling in Kendall the confidence in herself to make the most of her life.

Carol didn’t believe that God “gave” us troubles or that all things happened “for a reason.” She believed that God gave us opportunities to make meaning of our lives. God welcomed Carol into His peace—she knew it was time. Carol was a strong and fiercely independent woman. She worried that her cancer was harder for the people she loved than it was for herself. She was especially thankful for the support she received as her health declined, her personal and professional care team. She will be missed by many special friends, her family, Jerry’s family, her cousins, nieces and nephews.