Carolyn S. Ryker Cerka, 88, returned home to the Lord on Sunday, April 14, 2024.
Carolyn was born on September 16, 1935, to the late Charles Everett Ryker and Helen Parker Ryker-Tanner. A faithful woman who loved the lord, Carolyn was a longtime member of Central Baptist Church. For many years, she taught the 16-year-old Sunday School classes along with teaching the YWAs (Young Women’s Auxiliary). She also enjoyed singing in Central’s adult choir. She was a member of the Officer’s Wives Club on Robins Air Force Base and sang with the group, “Skylarks”. Carolyn was a member of The Weekend Ramblers with her husband, Don. They would get together on their motorcycles (whether street bike, dirt bike, or tour bike) and would ride along the backroads into the mountains with their closest friends. The groups would travel hundreds of miles on any given weekend to places such as Franklin, TN, the North Georgia mountains, and all over the southeast. On Saturdays when the kids were young, and well into their teens, Don would get the bikes ready while Carolyn prepared lunch and all the necessities for Sunday riding to the Kaolin Mines in Dry Branch. She would have herself and the children in Sunday School and church, then get home to change clothes, and head out to have fun. Multiple families would join them on any given Sunday.
Her greatest achievement was taking care of her family, whom she loved deeply. When her husband Don passed away in 2021, Carolyn remarked that they had not been married long enough. She loved him so deeply; this year would have been their 68th. There is no way of knowing the number of birthday parties she threw. Each family member, and all her friends were treated to beautiful or funny cakes, decorations, and laughter. Thanksgiving and Christmas were done every year with so much love and detail. Then there were the card games! Thousands of card games around the same dining table and Carolyn was at the center of it all. Her sweet spirit will be deeply missed by those she loved, and we thank her for her love, thoughtfulness, and the wonderful life she gave us.
In addition to her parents, Carolyn was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, Donald Eugene Cerka, son, Mark Cerka, sister, Sharon Burt, and niece, Cheryl.
Her memory will forever be treasured by her children, Cindy Cerka, and Tim Cerka (Susie); grandchildren, Christine Cerka (Tyler), Jessica Cerka (Alex), Misty Cerka, Kalen Cerka, and Justin Martin; great-grandchildren, Riley, Aiden, Alexander, Shylah, Bentley, Vanessa, Damien, and Maeve; and nieces and nephews, Tracy, Charles, and Michael.
Visitation will be Wednesday, April 17, 2024, from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at McCullough Funeral Home. A funeral service will immediately follow at 1:00 p.m. in the chapel of McCullough Funeral Home. Afterward, Carolyn will be laid to rest in Magnolia Park Cemetery.
For friends unable to attend at this time, the service will be streamed live via the McCullough Funeral Home Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/mcculloughfuneralhome/live/.
Go to www.mcculloughfh.com to sign the Online Registry for the family. McCullough Funeral Home and Crematory has the privilege of being entrusted with these arrangements.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Carolyn S. Ryker Cerka, please visit our flower store.
Carolyn was born on September 16, 1935, to the late Charles Everett Ryker and Helen Parker Ryker-Tanner. A faithful woman who loved the lord, Carolyn was a longtime member of Central Baptist Church. For many years, she taught the 16-year-old Sunday School classes along with teaching the YWAs (Young Women’s Auxiliary). She also enjoyed singing in Central’s adult choir. She was a member of the Officer’s Wives Club on Robins Air Force Base and sang with the group, “Skylarks”. Carolyn was a member of The Weekend Ramblers with her husband, Don. They would get together on their motorcycles (whether street bike, dirt bike, or tour bike) and would ride along the backroads into the mountains with their closest friends. The groups would travel hundreds of miles on any given weekend to places such as Franklin, TN, the North Georgia mountains, and all over the southeast. On Saturdays when the kids were young, and well into their teens, Don would get the bikes ready while Carolyn prepared lunch and all the necessities for Sunday riding to the Kaolin Mines in Dry Branch. She would have herself and the children in Sunday School and church, then get home to change clothes, and head out to have fun. Multiple families would join them on any given Sunday.
Her greatest achievement was taking care of her family, whom she loved deeply. When her husband Don passed away in 2021, Carolyn remarked that they had not been married long enough. She loved him so deeply; this year would have been their 68th. There is no way of knowing the number of birthday parties she threw. Each family member, and all her friends were treated to beautiful or funny cakes, decorations, and laughter. Thanksgiving and Christmas were done every year with so much love and detail. Then there were the card games! Thousands of card games around the same dining table and Carolyn was at the center of it all. Her sweet spirit will be deeply missed by those she loved, and we thank her for her love, thoughtfulness, and the wonderful life she gave us.
In addition to her parents, Carolyn was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, Donald Eugene Cerka, son, Mark Cerka, sister, Sharon Burt, and niece, Cheryl.
Her memory will forever be treasured by her children, Cindy Cerka, and Tim Cerka (Susie); grandchildren, Christine Cerka (Tyler), Jessica Cerka (Alex), Misty Cerka, Kalen Cerka, and Justin Martin; great-grandchildren, Riley, Aiden, Alexander, Shylah, Bentley, Vanessa, Damien, and Maeve; and nieces and nephews, Tracy, Charles, and Michael.
Visitation will be Wednesday, April 17, 2024, from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at McCullough Funeral Home. A funeral service will immediately follow at 1:00 p.m. in the chapel of McCullough Funeral Home. Afterward, Carolyn will be laid to rest in Magnolia Park Cemetery.
For friends unable to attend at this time, the service will be streamed live via the McCullough Funeral Home Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/mcculloughfuneralhome/live/.
Go to www.mcculloughfh.com to sign the Online Registry for the family. McCullough Funeral Home and Crematory has the privilege of being entrusted with these arrangements.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Carolyn S. Ryker Cerka, please visit our flower store.
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