Carol Kauffman Pyle

Carol was born in Los Angeles, California on September 5, 1932 to Francis and Margaret Kauffman. She graduated from Santa Barbara Catholic High School in 1950. She married Frederick R. Pyle in 1957 and lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for many years. They were later divorced. She ran a kennel and was active in the breeding and showing of St. Bernard dogs and Bernese Mountain dogs before returning to school and receiving her BA from Sonoma State University, a Master’s Degree in Social work and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Sacramento State University. Following completion of her degree’s she worked as a Program Director for Athena House, a program of California Human Development Corporation in Santa Rosa. This was a residential treatment program for women with substance abuse problems and who were involved with the criminal justice system. In 1991 she was hired by Siskiyou County Behavioral Health, Drug and Alcohol Program to develop Next Step, a perinatal day treatment program for women with substance abuse problems and their children. She retired in 1998. In 1996 Carol made her promises as a Secular Franciscan and has remained active in fraternity work with the Franciscans and in her church. Since her retirement, she has often attended daily mass, served as a member of the Parish Council, Eucharistic Minister and Lector. Her hobbies included making many thousands of rosaries for the Diocese of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, various missions, Sacred Heart Church in Medford, Oregon and St. Joseph’s Church in Yreka. She also was involved in the Prayer Shawl Ministry at St. Joseph’s Parish and volunteered at the Hospice Store for several years. She loved gardening, crocheting and began the Siskiyou Afghan Project which provided hundreds of afghans to the needy in the area and is now part of the Stitchers Guild in the United Methodist Church. She made many items for the annual bazaar at St. Joseph’s Church. Survivors include two sons, Frederick Richard Pyle III and his partner, Denise Herrera, of Antioch, CA, Erik Pyle and his wife, Diane, of Half Moon Bay, CA; a sister, Teresa Kauffman of Reno, NV; a brother, F Michael Kauffman of Santa Barbara, CA; five grandchildren, Robby, Gabrielle, Nicholas, Elizabeth and Sean Pyle, and many nieces and nephews. Carol was preceded in death by a son, David in 1982, her parents, her step-mother, Dora Kauffman and the Christian sister of her heart, Ellen Kimball OCDS. A recitation of the rosary will be held at Girdner Funeral Chapel on Friday, January 22nd at 7pm. A memorial mass will be held at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church on Saturday, January 23rd at 10am, followed by an inurnment at St. Joseph’s Catholic cemetery, all in Yreka Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Vincent de Paul, Hot Meal Program at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 314 Fourth Street, Yreka, CA 96097.

Carol Kauffman Pyle

September 5, 1932 - January 17, 2016