Carol J. Noriega (Holiday)

God took the fragrance of a flower... 

The majesty of a tree... 

The gentleness of morning dew... 

The calm of a quiet sea... 

The beauty of the twilight hour... 

The soul of a starry night... 

The laughter of a rippling brook... 

The grace of a bird in flight... 

Then God fashioned from these things 

A creation like no other, 

And when his masterpiece was through

 He called it simply, Mother.

-Herbert Farnham

Our mother was Carol Jean Noriega (Holiday) of Lee’s Summit, Missouri (formerly of Topeka, Kansas). She was a beautiful, kind and graceful presence who will be deeply missed by her family. Carol, 78 years old, gently and very peacefully passed from this world into the arms of the Lord on Sunday, June 14, 2026. Born into this world to Clifford and Mary Ellen Holiday on February 10, 1948 in Pontiac, Michigan, she was one of six children. Reminiscing childhood memories are her sisters, Sandra (Duke) Miracle, Barbara Stockwell and Lori (Bryan) Cremer. Waiting to welcome her into her heavenly home, were her parents and two brothers, Michael C. Holiday and twin, Darryl G. Holiday. Missing her beautiful smile are her four children, Victoria (Luis) Noriega-Reyes, Chad Noriega, Elizabeth (Eli) Espinoza and Carla Noriega. Carol was blessed with fourteen grandchildren; Aurelio (Yesenia) Noriega, Juan Noriega, Jose Noriega, Ciro Torres, Nadia Espinoza, Arissa (Jared) Harvey, Alec (Trishnee) Noriega, Ethan Espinoza, Elisana Espinoza (Jaxon Moore), Ellie Espinoza, Caleigh Noriega (Nick Province), Ean Noriega, Reisa Noriega, Reileigh Noriega, as well as five great grandchildren; Jared Ryan Harvey, Rhyder Harvey, Valentino Noriega, Julietta Noriega and Sunnie Noriega-Province.

A Going Home service for Carol will be held at Brennan Mathena Funeral Home, 800 S.W. 6th Avenue, Topeka, KS 66603 on Monday, June 22nd, 2026 at 11 a.m. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at 10 a.m. Her final resting place, near her parents and with a view of the pond, will be in Memorial Park Cemetery.

The legacy of our mother, bringing a deep comfort, was her lifelong love for the Lord and the word of God. As we grew up, we watched our mother pray and read her marked up and well-worn Thomas Chain Reference Bible, often alongside her classic Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance. Our mom knew her scriptures and loved the Bible passages of Psalms 23 and the first chapter of John.

We will remember the rides together on back country roads. We learned to hang our arms out of the window and feel how the temperature changed against our skin after driving off the warm city asphalt into fresh country air. Summer nights will continue to bring memories of how we sat outside drinking lemonade, eating popcorn and reading our library books. As fall arrives and the leaves crunch beneath our feet, we will remember your eyes and exclamations of delight as we happen upon an unexpected tree in a glorious autumn hue. As winter surprises us with that first serene blanket of white snow, we will remember your love in the stillness of the crisp winter air. It will be these precious and cherished memories of our mother that will bring us comfort like no other.

To share a memory or to leave condolences, please visit, www.brennanmathenafh.com.

Arrangements entrusted to Brennan-Mathena Funeral Home, 800 SW 6th Ave., Topeka, KS 66603.