Carmen Lynn Lindsey, age 53, of Pilot Grove, died Thursday, February 11, 2021, at University of Missouri Hospital in Columbia after a long-term illness.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, February 17, at Meisenheimer Funeral Home in Pilot Grove, with Pastor Paul Dawson officiating. Burial will follow at Pilot Grove City Cemetery.

Casket bearers will be Micheal Dick, Weslie McWilliams, Austin Griffitt, Stacey Griffitt, Katrina McWilliams and Megan Dick.

Honorary bearers will be Matthew Lindsey, Patrick Gilson and Norman Newell.

A dinner will follow the burial, at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at Katarina’s Café in Pilot Grove.

The family will receive friends from 3 to 5 p.m. Monday, February 15, at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be given to the family, in care of the funeral home.

Born February 16, 1967, in Columbia, she was one of three children of Louis Edward Gilson and Suzanne R. (Richards) Gilson.

Carmen was a 1985 graduate of Boonville High School. She was an 18-year employee of First Student in Boonville, where she was a trainer/driver. Teaching others to drive was something she did in many capacities, whether it was buses, teaching teenagers to drive, or teaching others to back a horse trailer. Horses were a big part of Carmen’s life. She had also worked as Prime owner/operator for 10 years.

Carmen was the matriarch of her family. She was one of the most giving and unbiased people and was a parent figure to many. She loved everybody with an open heart.

She was a member of the Pilot Grove Community Church.

Surviving is her twin sister, Karen Dick, of Pilot Grove; nieces: Katrina, Megan, Ashley, Katie, Dallas and Joanna; and nephews: Michael, Patrick, Norman, Thieman, Austin S., Austin G. and Jacob.

She was preceded in death by her parents; and a brother, Lon Gilson.