Carole Susan Bartee

Carole Susan Bartee passed away peacefully on March 1, 2025 in Overland Park, KS. She was born September 15, 1948 at the Methodist Hospital in Lubbock, TX. 

She was the youngest of five children born to Dr. Sam and Anna Lee Leifeste and spent most of her youth in Fort Worth, TX. She attended college at Texas Tech University in Lubbock where she earned a bachelors degree in Mathematics with a minor in French. As a freshman on a blind date, she met Sammy Bartee who somehow convinced her to marry him on August 15, 1970. Carole taught math in the Lubbock public school system while Sammy finished his education at Tech. 

Carole and Sammy moved to the Rio Grande Valley, Texas in 1972 where their children, Chris, Marilyn, and Meredith were born. Carole enjoyed playing bridge with her friends and the mild winter weather at the beaches of south Texas with her family.

In January 1977, the family moved to Olathe, KS. This move was a major adjustment for Carole who commented the largest family expense was purchasing winter clothes for the family since sandals, shorts, and t-shirts in wintertime Kansas was not going to cut it! She enjoyed taking family visits back to warm weather destinations throughout her life.

As a young mom in a new city with Sammy often away for work, she kept busy with her kid’s activities and church, including volunteer work with Olathe Junior Service League and Meals on Wheels. She met and kept lifelong friends playing bridge, Bunko, and bowling. One of her greatest gifts was being a “good listener” to family and friends, and forming opinions that she may or may not have shared with you. 

Carole worked at Automated Data Processing payroll services for over 30 years, returning to the workforce after her kids were in school. 

Carole is preceded in death by her parents Sam and Anna Lee, brother Bill, daughter Meredith, and grandson Alejandro. She is survived by her husband Sammy, son Chris, daughter Marilyn (Richard), her siblings Ann (Tut), Sam (Jeryl), and Sharon, grandsons William and Malachai, and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.

A joint memorial and celebration of life honoring Carole and Alejandro’s recent passing will take place on Saturday, May 10, 2025.

The family would like to thank the staff at Heritage Memory Care in Overland Park and the nurses at Ascend Hospice for their dedication and care. Donations are suggested to the Alzheimer’s Association or Ascend Hospice in Overland Park.