Carrie "Carebear" Elizabeth Ames of Manhattan, KS, age 28, passed away Sunday, April 22, 2012. She was born October 18, 1983 in McPherson, KS to parents Darrell Ames of Madison, AL and Gloria Ames of Downs, KS. Carrie graduated from Downs High School in 2001. After graduating she moved to Honolulu, HI where she lived for five years. She then relocated to San Diego, CA, where she resided for five years. Carrie returned to Kansas in 2011, living in Manhattan, KS. Carrie enjoyed spending time with family and friends, dancing, attending concerts, taking pictures, making people laugh, and helping anyone she could. She had the opportunity to work at McCain theater on the K-State campus assisting with stage productions such as Mama Mia and Stomp, doing hair and makeup and miscellaneous backstage work. Carrie was active in AA groups in Manhattan, Salina, Lincoln, Topeka, Beloit, and Minneapolis, KS. Carrie would have celebrated her first sobriety anniversary on Friday, April 27. She recently shared her struggle with drug and alcohol addiction at her home group in Manhattan, KS, on Friday, April 20. Carrie was compassionate and fearless, and everyone she met fell immediately in love with her fantastic personality. Carrie is survived by her father, Darrell Ames; mother, Gloria Ames; grandmother, Fran Anderson of Greenwood, MO, grandmother Marlene Heyer of Downs, KS; sister and brother-in-law, Natalie and Kenneth Bader of Louisburg, KS, Randy Ames, of Downs, KS, Daniel Ames of Manhattan, KS, and Carole Ames, of Jacksonville, FL. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends who loved her dearly. Carrie was preceded in death by her uncle Randy Heyer, grandfather Darrell Ames Sr., and grandfather Emmett Heyer.

"Dance like nobody is watching."

Parents:

Darrell Ames

Gloria Heyer Ames

Siblings:

Natalie Alexis Ames

Randall Louis Ames

Daniel Theodore Ames

Carole Francis Ames

Vi Jorge Potal

Amanda Giesel

Jennifer Giesel