Carolyn Gables

Carolyn June Gables died peacefully at home on March 30, 2026, surrounded by her husband and family after a lengthy illness.

Carolyn was born in the front bedroom of her parents’ home in rural Aldrich, Missouri, the second daughter of Paul and Marie Toalson. Her entire youth was spent in Polk County where her father was a farmer and mother worked in the town grocery, sharing the small farmhouse with her parents and three sisters, Jacque, Pauletta, and Kay. As teenagers, Carolyn, Pauletta, and Kay were active in music as a vocal trio, featured throughout Southwest Missouri in church services and community festivals as the Toalson Sisters. At one point a recording of theirs was entertained as a potential new act for the Lawrence Welk show. Carolyn grew up in the Methodist Church in Aldrich where her mother was the song leader and youth Sunday School teacher. She made a profession of faith in Christ at a revival meeting when she was 11 years old and baptized on a cold Missouri morning in Turkey Creek. She graduated from Fair Play High School in 1961, salutatorian and class secretary, and enrolled at Southwest Missouri State College in Springfield where she studied English and Art.

On November 3, 1962, Carolyn married Jim Gables of Eudora, Missouri. They would go on to celebrate 63 years of marriage together having four children, Kenneth Paul, Pamela Kay, Stephen James, and Mark Aaron. In Jim’s marriage proposal to Carolyn, he confessed that he was sensing a calling to consider a life of gospel ministry as a pastor. In her affirmative answer, she said that years prior she had committed her life to be a pastor’s wife and was just waiting on him. Jim and Carolyn would go on to serve in ministry together for the extent of their lives; in the founding of the Lafeyette Bible Baptist Church, Ballwin, Missouri; serving the First Baptist Church of Osceola, Missouri; the Oakland Baptist Church of Birmingham, Alabama; and in the Vineland Park Baptist Church, Hueytown, Alabama. Carolyn also served as executive secretary of Grace Abounding Bible Ministries for 40 years. Carolyn’s contributions to the ministry were significant, incorporating a diversity of skills including ministry communications and publications director, graphic artist, musician, youth Sunday School teacher and Bible School director, and unselfish support.

Carolyn would spend most of her adult life in Southwest Missouri and later the central Alabama town of Trussville. She loved her country cabin home on the fringe of the big city of Birmingham. In the principles of Proverbs 31, Carolyn was devoted to her husband, home, and community, and an accomplished business professional, with experience in banking, childcare, retail, legal secretarial work, retiring in 2010 from the Birmingham law firm of Burr and Forman, with 20 years of service. Carolyn demonstrated extraordinary creative and organizational skills including painting, drawing, gardening, pianist and vocalist, and support for her children, grand- and great-grandchildren. She enjoyed traveling, reading, jigsaw puzzles, coffee, and late-night sugary sweets.

Carolyn is survived by her husband of 63 years, Jim Gables of Vestavia, Alabama; son Kenneth (Jennie) of Vestavia, Alabama; daughter Pamela (Murray) of Helena, Alabama; son Stephen (Ginger) of Hoover, Alabama; son Mark (Janelle) of Blue Springs, Missouri; sister Kay Wheeler (Larry) of Stockton Missouri. She is survived by 11 grandchildren: Hannah, Zach, Madison, Holly, Megan, Caitlyn, Olivia, Sarah, Mia, Anna, and Kenneth Christian (K.C.); 6 great-grandchildren: John David, Noah, Bo, Arwen, Aurora, and Parks. Carolyn was preceded in death by her parents: Paul and Marie Toalson, sisters Jacque Plaster, and Pauletta Kay.

Celebration services for Carolyn will be Saturday, April 4, 2026, at the First Baptist Church, Springville, Alabama, Jefferson Memorial of Trussville, Alabama officiating. Public visitation 10:30 am, worship service 11:30 am, with fellowship to follow at the church. Supplemental services, graveside, and internment will be the following week near Aldrich, Missouri. Flowers or cards welcome, as well as your consideration on charities to restore populations of native dogwood trees.