Caroyle Jeanne (Walling) Kmak, age 76 of Wisconsin Dells, WI passed away Tuesday, February 9, 2021 at St. Clare Meadows in Baraboo, WI. Caroyle's husband and children were all able to visit and say goodbye during her final days.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday, February 13, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Cecilia's Catholic Church in Wisconsin Dells with Fr. Eric Sternberg celebrating. The service will be live streamed on https://www.facebook.com/dellscatholic/ St. Cecelia's Facebook page. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery in Wisconsin Dells. Visitation will be held at St. Cecilia's Catholic Church on Saturday from 9:00 am, and memories shared at 10:50 am until the time of Mass at 11:00 am.

Caroyle Kmak was born July 8, 1944 in Anthon, Iowa to Edwin and Priscilla (Stansberry) Walling. Caroyle attended school in Antioch, California before moving with her family to Crossett, Arkansas in 1955. She graduated from Crossett High in 1962 and from Arkansas State Teachers College in 1966. That same year she became postulant in the Order of Servants of Mary (Servites), professed temporary vows in August 1967, and took final vows in 1970 as Sr. Mary Redempta. Her teaching career began in 1967 and ranged from primary school in New York to junior high in Detroit, Michigan. Caroyle was teaching at a Catholic High School in Detroit where Fr. Howard Kmak happened to be stationed teaching in Servite Seminary. Howard was assigned to give the sisters in the convent a short retreat. Once the retreat concluded, Caroyle approached Fr. Howard, complimented him on the retreat and the rest is history. Howard and Caroyle were married at St. Cecilia's Catholic Church on August 14, 1976 in Wisconsin Dells where they built their lives. She was a stay-at-home mom during her children's young childhood and elementary school years. She rejoined the field of education working at Baraboo and Portage school districts. She served on the Wisconsin Dells School Board from 1989-1998 and the CESA 5 Board from 1989-1995. She finished her teaching career in the Wisconsin Dells School District from 2000 until she retired in 2010. She has always been an active member of St. Cecilia's Parish from being the director of religious education to planning the funeral luncheons for parish members. During her retirement she worked at the Dandelion shop in Wisconsin Dells and continued to work as a substitute teacher in the Dells school district until she no longer physically could.

Over the years, Caroyle's hobbies included cooking, sewing, arts and crafts, woodworking, puzzles, coloring, being sassy, exercising her sarcasm, story telling exaggerated versions of the truth, sitting on the back porch with an iced tea which transitioned to a Southern Comfort or a B&B by 4:00 pm, and finding treasures at the Dollar Tree and the local St. Vincent DePaul.

Caroyle is survived by her husband, Howard; daughters Monica Kmak (Larry Owen), Julia Thoe (Eric Thoe), Cynthia Kmak (Mark Winston), Katrina Kmak (John Burdick IV), son Joseph Kmak (Claire), siblings James Walling (Sally Walling), Claudia Walling Randall, Alan Walling (Clare Ann Walling), Brian Walling (Barbara Walling), sister-in-law Julia Hall Walling, grandsons Adrian and Jamison Thoe and John Burdick V, as well as many nieces, nephews, friends and family. She is preceded in death by her parents Priscilla Yvonne Stansberry Walling and Edwin Francis Walling, and brothers Edwin Lloyd Walling and Michael Wayne Walling.

Potted plants are welcome, and contributions can be made to the https://www.wdhsfoundation.org/make-a-donation Wisconsin Dells Education Foundation.