Carolynn R. Kobiske

Carolynn Kobiske, 74, of Murfreesboro, Tenn., died Sunday, March 23, 2024, in Lebanon, Tenn.

She was born Nov. 29, 1949, in Rice Lake, Wis., the daughter of Emil and Alma Ostermann. After her family moved to Cedarburg, she attended local public schools and graduated from Cedarburg High School in 1967.

In 1970, Carolynn married Michael Kobiske, a fellow Cedarburg High School graduate, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cedarburg.

Carolynn worked as a music and elementary school teacher for 40 years in Illinois, Oklahoma and Tennessee. After retiring from elementary education, her passion for continuing to teach drove her to work for a nonprofit, Read to Succeed, where she worked for seven years and tutored for the program in her off time until she retired in 2023. Her mark on students has changed their lives forever.

Besides teaching and helping others, Carolynn was an avid reader and loved to travel with family and spend time with friends.

She is survived by a son, Daniel (Cherie) Kobiske of Fort Worth, Texas; two grandchildren, Austin and Caitlin Kobiske, both of Fort Worth, Texas; two brothers, Eugene (Kay) Ostermann of Fort Wayne, Ind., and Steven (Holly) Ostermann of Port Washington; a brother-in-law, Gary Kobiske of Fort Myers, Fla.; two sisters-in-law, Betty Stamper of Hartford and Barbara (the late Jack) Kramer of Cedarburg; and a host of other loving family members and friends.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband; a son, Andrew Kobiske; a sister, Annette (Curtis) Kittleson; two brothers, Norman (the late Janice) Ostermann and Gerald (Sharon) Ostermann; and parents-in-law Robert and Lola Kobiske.

Cremation arrangements were handled by Woodfin Chapels in Murfreesboro, Tenn. A private burial service will be held at Immanuel Cemetery in Cedarburg.

Mueller Funeral Home of Cedarburg is assisting the family.

Memorial donations are suggested to Read to Succeed, P.O. Box 12161, Murfreesboro, TN 37129. Online donations can be made at www.readtosucceed.org.