Carl-Thor Svahnberg

Carl-Thor Svahnberg, 86, of Raytown Mo. passed away on November 11th, 2024. A celebration of life for Carl will be held Saturday, November 16, 2024 from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Floral Hills Funeral Home and Cemetery, 7000 BLUE RIDGE BLVD, KANSAS CITY, MO 64133, followed by a graveside service from 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM.

Carl T. Svahnberg was born in Kansas City, Mo., Jan. 20, 1938 to Axel Wilhelm and Margaret Sofia Svahnberg. With a few brief stints in Kansas City, he has lived in Raytown, Mo. for nearly all of his 86+ years. Growing up in a Swedish speaking household, he had to overcome a stutter while attending grade school. He and his best friend, Mick Provinge, met in 1st grade. They remained close until Mick’s passing in the 90’s. He made many friends through High School and some of these friends still meet up every Tuesday. Medical reasons had kept Carl from these gatherings recently and he missed you all.

After graduating Raytown High School in 1956, he became a member of the Teamsters Union driving a truck for the Armour Meat Company and served in the Army Reserves out of Fort Leonard Wood through 1960. He then journeyed and worked all over the country as a skilled tradesman for Sheet Metal Local #2 in Kansas City, Mo. This until he retired to go play with his 1941 Cadillac 60 Special at 62 years of age. He was very involved with the Raytown Historical Society and its Museum and stayed involved with his High School Graduating Class. He was a touring member of the Cadillac-LaSalle Club of Kansas City for years and the author and publisher of the Oil Belt Region Classic Car Club Newsletter for many years also.

In between all of that, he met a long, tall young Texan lady by the name of Leona Anne Kirkland. They painted the town red, played the blues and danced until dawn many a time from what has been told. They married in 1960, had their first daughter, Karen, in 1964. Carl adopted a son, a 1941 Cadillac 60 Special, and brought him home from California in 1968. Life happens, of course, they were divorced for a time but remarried again and had their second daughter, Erica, in 1971. More life, more experiences, one more divorce.

So many stories to tell (good, bad, and ugly), so many wonderful Swedish Christmas Eves, so many family and friends we wish we could mention, but too little time and space. Carl had so many interests and expertise’s from ancient history to WWII, to Sci-fi, Spaghetti Westerns, Classical Music, the Blues to Rock and Roll (not country, though!), oh and the car and plane models he made.

So here we are, time to say goodbye. We will miss you so much. Say hi to the grandparents for us, I know they are thrilled to have you in their arms again.

He leaves his daughters Karen Hartley (Gregg), Erica Svahnberg, 3 grandchildren Rhianne Svahnberg, Katherine Reed and Aeryn Easley, 2 bonus grandchildren, Adam Easley and Hunter Riffle-Hartley and wife/ex-wife, wife/ex-wife and always beloved Annie, and then there is the Caddy.