Carla Jeanne Gilmore, 76, of Cabool, passed away peacefully on July 17th after a battle with brain and lung cancer. She was born on November 18, 1947 to Gerald and Doris Darling of South Bend, Indiana. She married the love of her life, Bill, in 1971 and raised two wonderful children, Billy, and Alex.

Carla was a hardworking woman who worked in many different jobs in her lifetime. She often told stories about one of her first jobs, which was programming computers using a plugboard. In the late 1980s she and her husband Bill created their own company making and selling functional and decorative wood crafts at craft fairs in many states. After they closed the business in the late 1990s she and Bill turned their focus on the farm they loved and spent most of their time raising animals and growing fruit in their orchard and large gardens full of every imaginable vegetable. Carla was especially passionate about plants and even went so far to become a certified Master Gardener through the Missouri State Fruit Experiment Station in Mountain Grove. She loved animals, such as her dairy goats, chickens, dog Lady, and her cats Sweetpea and Charlotte.

In her free time she enjoyed watching Nascar races, baking, reading, and spending time with her family, especially her granddaughter Kyra. She will always be remembered for her kindness, her passion for loving people by feeding them excellent meals and delectable baked goods, and her great love for her family.

Carla is survived by her son Billy Gilmore, daughter Alexandra Lukas, son-in-law Daniel Lukas, granddaughter Kyra Lukas, and her siblings Claudia Peters and Gerald Darling. She was preceded in death by her husband Bill, parents Doris and Gerald Darling, and brother David Darling.