Carolyn Irene Ewing, age 67, died at her home in Kennewick, WA on Tuesday April 26 of respiratory failure and congestive heart failure. She was born at home on the family farm in Black Oak Arkansas to Herbert Allen Junior and Artie Irene Earnhart on February 16, 1945. The oldest of three children, Carolyn grew up working on the family farm picking cotton to buy her school books and often told of doing her homework on the long bus rides to and from Monette High School where she graduated in 1963. She was very active at the Black Oak Baptist Church where she played piano and taught Sunday school classes. Carolyn moved to Arkadelphia after high school to attend Ouachita Baptist College. She helped pay her tuition working long humid summers in shoe factories and graduated with a Bachelors of Arts in Education and minors in both Music and Psychology. Carolyn moved back home to Black Oak and taught at Caraway Elementary before moving to Southeastern Washington in 1972. She drove the bookmobile while working as a librarian at the Mid-Columbia Library and taught as a substitute teacher for the Richland and Pasco school districts until she met and married the love of her life Richard Howard Ewing. Together they embarked on a 36 year marriage of love, laughter, and fun. With him at her side they extensively traveled the United States camping and square dancing the nights away. Alaska and Hawaii quickly became their favorite destination and they were able to organize several tours with their square dancing friends. Carolyn was a member of the square dance clubs where her husband Rick was a square dance caller, the Dust Twirlers in Basin City, WA and the Hermiston Square Knots in Oregon. After a break in teaching to raise her family Carolyn returned to school earning a Masters in Special Education from Heritage College. She went on to pursue a career teaching special education for preschoolers at the North Franklin School District in Connell and later adaptive living classes at both McLoughlin Middle School and Pasco High. Although Carolyn deeply loved all children she retired from teaching in 2007 due to health problems. In her retirement Carolyn expanded her knitting and crocheting hobby to provide blankets, hats, and leg warmers to an orphanage in Africa Carolyn was preceded in death by her father Junior Earnhart and grandchild Forrest Lee Schauss. Carolyn is survived by her beloved husband Rick Ewing of Kennewick and four children. Kimberly Myron Schauss of Kennewick, James April Ewing of Kennewick, Dawn Tony Messina of Roswell, GA, and A. Bryan Erica Ewing of Olympia; by her grandchildren Brehanna Baker-Gamin, Kristina Smith, Brek Smith, Jackson Schauss, and Mason Allen Schauss of Kennewick, Alex Messina and Elle Messina of Roswell, GA, and James Wheeler of Olympia; great-grandchildren Carter Kawai, Kiana Kawai, Amerie Contrerez, and Rahman Pleasant of Kennewick. She is survived by her mother Irene Earnhart of Black Oak, AR; sister Lynn Brian Nutt of Hampton, AR; brother Allen Judy Earnhart of Piggott, AR. Carolyn is also survived by many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews all of the Southern states and one very special dog, Tinkerbell. Visitation will be at Einan's Funeral Home, 915 Bypass Highway, Richland, WA, Wednesday, April 2, 2012, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Funeral will be at the Memories at Sunset Event Center, at the same location, Thursday, April 3, 2012, 11 a.m. followed by entombment at the Sunset Gardens Mausoleum. A gathering to celebrate Carolyn's life will be held at 2 p.m. at her home in Kennewick. If you would like, in lieu of flowers, you may make donations to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital in Carolyn's name, www.stjude.org/ or any charity of your choice. The family Southeastern Washington in 1972. She worked as a librarian at the Mid-Columbia Library and as a substitute teacher for Richland and Pasco school districts until she met and married the love of her life, Richard Howard Ewing. Together they embarked on a 36-year marriage of love, laughter, and fun. With him at her side, they extensively traveled the United States camping and square dancing the nights away. Carolyn was a member of the square dance clubs where her husband, Rick, was a square dance caller for the Dust Twirlers in Basin City, WA and the Hermiston Square Knots in Oregon. After raising her family, Carolyn returned to school, earning a Masters in Special Education from Heritage College. She pursued a career teaching special education for preschoolers at the North Franklin School District in Connell, and adaptive living classes at both Mcglotholin and Pasco High. Although Carolyn loved the children she taught, she retired from teaching in 2007 due to health problems. In her retirement, Carolyn expanded her knitting and crocheting hobby to provide blankets, hats, and leg warmers to an orphanage in Africa. Her father, Junior Earnhart, and grandchild Forrest Lee Schauss precede Carolyn in death. Carolyn is survived by her beloved husband, Rick Ewing of Kennewick and four children, Kimberly Myron Schauss of Kennewick, James April Ewing of Kennewick, Dawn Tony Messina of Roswell, GA, and A. Bryan Erica Ewing of Olympia; eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. She is survived by her mother, Irene Earnhart of Black Oak, AR; sister Lynn Brian Nutt of Hampton, AR; brother Allen Judy Earnhart of Piggott, AR. Carolyn is also survived by many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews all of the Southern states and her special dog, Tinkerbell. Viewing is May 2, 2012, at Einan's Funeral Home, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.; with service and entombment at Einan's Memories at Sunset Event Center and Sunset Memorial Gardens, May 3, 2012, 11 a.m., all located at 915 Bypass Highway, Richland, WA. A celebration of Carolyn's life will held at 2 p.m. at her Kennewick home. In lieu of flowers, please donate to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital in Carolyn's name, www.stjude.org/ .