Carol Denise (Mathews) Balding

Carol Denise Balding (Mathews) 64, passed away peacefully May 29, 2016 at Karinya Palliative Care Center, Berry, New South Wales, Australia after a 9 month battle with cancer.

Denise was born to Thomas L. and E. Carol Mathews (Hedges), July 8, 1951 in Kinsley Kansas.  Her early years were on the family farm west of Kinsley. As a young girl she was  active in 4H club raising registered Hereford calves with the help of her grandpa Clarence Mathews. She was very active in many high school activities and graduated from Kinsley High School in 1969.  She graduated from Fort Hays State University in 1974 with  an Art Education degree. Upon graduation she was one of a thousand US teachers who were recruited by the Australian education system to fill severe teacher shortages.  She planned to be in Austalia for 1 year, but settled in her beloved Kiama when she met  and married the love of her life Denis.  She taught in schools in Kiama, Nowra and the surrounding area, rising to the position of Department Head.  She retired from teaching after 30+ years.  Following her retirement, she became a very active cyclist, cycling  in many areas in Australia and Europe.  During this time she took on another adventure by founding and operating the bicycle accessories importer and wholesaler Ride Easy Sports Products.

There were two constant themes through Denise's life.  She was always ready to take on any new adventure and through her life she made fast and long lasting friends.  She was  loved and cherished by many, many long time extended family members, and many old and more recent friends.

She was preceded in death by her Mother and Father and an infant sister and brother.  She is survived by her husband Denis Balding of Kiama, her daughter Jessica Balding and  her two sons Cameron and Aksel of Penrith (western Sydney) NSW and son Tom Balding of Geelong, Victoria, as well as her husbands very large extended family in Australia.  She felt privileged to be a part of the Balding clan.  In the US her brothers Keith Mathews  and wife Zenaida of Kansas City, MO and Steve Mathews and wife Mitzi of Liberty MO, their children Kara of Dallas, TX, and Curtis of Liberty, MO, her Grandmother Virginia Kaiser of Salinas, CA, and her large extended Hedges and Mathews families.

Funeral services will be  Thursday  June 2, 2016, 12:00 pm at Stan Crapp Funerals,  125 Manning St, Kiama, NSW 2533, Auatralia.  http://www.stancrappfunerals.com.au/
Wake to follow  at 1:00pm at Olive  & Vine restaurant,  87 Manning St, Kiama.
Condolences to the family may be addressed to the home at  39 Girrawheen Ave, Kiama, NSW 2533 Australia.
Charitable donations may be made to Cancer Council Australia,  http://www.cancer.org.au/

If you are not able to attend the services, you may wish to listen to the three songs to be played at the service for some sense of what Denise meant to so many and what was  important to her;

Christmas Time Is Here by Daniela Andrade

Terry's Song by Bruce Springsteen

Lighthouse by The Waifs