Carol Ann Doss

Carol Ann (Arnold) Doss, 87, passed away peacefully in Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice, Wichita, on Sunday, January 24 after a very brief illness. She was born on November 10, 1933 to Ruth Opal (Watkins) Arnold and William Clinton Arnold on a farm near Baldwin, Kansas. She attended schools in Baldwin and Topeka, Kansas, and graduated from Danville, IL High School in 1951.

In the Fall of 1951 she married Fred Doss. They operated a poultry business in Rossville, Indiana, and a daughter, Paula, was born to the couple in Beech Grove, Indiana. In 1956, the family moved to Eunice, Louisiana, where Mr. Doss established the Southern Tank and Tower Company. A second daughter, Carla, was born in Kinder, Louisiana. The couple moved to Joplin, Missouri, and a son, Thane, was born. From 1960 to 1964, Carol worked for Daylight Donuts in Joplin, Missouri, the first Daylight Donut franchise.

In 1964, she moved to Pittsburg, Kansas, where she owned and operated the Dixie Cream Donut Shop. Being a single mother and business owner was extremely difficult in the ’60s and quite an accomplishment. She went to work for FMI in Girard, Kansas, where she worked until 1984. She was an early member of the Crawford County Genealogical Society, and mapped a number of small cemeteries in Southeast Kansas during these years.

While at FMI, she had begun trading in antiques and collectibles, and in 1984, she began to devote herself to this full-time, opening Rust and Dust Antiques and Books in Franklin, Kansas. In time, she also opened Franklin Mini-Storage beside the shop. Carol closed the shop, but she continued the business, selling at flea markets, antique malls, and on Ebay. She was a regular at the First Monday Flea Market in Canton, Texas for more than two decades. She lived for a time in Columbus, Kansas, and Mulvane, Kansas, ending her years in Wichita, Kansas.

Carol loved to read and always was a champion of education and the truth. She had a sly wit and loved to discuss current events, never shy to offer her opinion.

She is survived by her daughters, Paula Berry(Dave), of Los Angeles, California, and Carla Doss(Mike), of Wichita, Kansas, her son, Thane Doss (Akiko), of Tokyo, Japan, and her beloved cat, Charlie. At Carol's request no service is planned. Cremation will take place and her ashes will be released in the Kansas Flint Hills.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Kansas Humane Society, Wichita, Kansas or to The Arc, 2919 W. Second St, Wichita, Kansas 67203.