Carol Elizabeth Hornback passed away on May 17, 2026, in Pittsburg.
Carol was born and raised in Parsons, Ks. She attended Labette Community Jr. College in Parsons 1966-1968. Carol’s interests have always centered around community service to local organizations and individuals. She was tuned into community locations that could use help.
She married Dave Hornback in 1966 and together they started the Hornback’s Posey Shop in Pittsburg on North Broadway. Carol added a Posey Parlor in Ron’s IGA in Pittsburg and a retail gift shop, the Posey Parlor, in the Stilwell Hotel in Pittsburg.
Carol was an early caregiver of the Triangular Walnut Island Garden. She enjoyed being part of the local United Methodist Church. In 1999, Carol donated a 1893 Haines Bros square grand piano to the Stilwell Hotel in the memory of her mother, Eugenia (Shears) Finch. A Dedicatory Recital was given by Paul Carlson and Steve Edmund in the hotel’s Timmons Ballroom. The concert was attended by her brother, Allen (now deceased), and her two sisters, Doris Kennedy of St. Paul, Minnesota and Jane Wells of North Liberty, Iowa. Carol was preceded in death by her mother and her father, Gerald A. Finch.
Carol was chosen as the Small Business Person of the Year in 1996. In 1998, the Posey Shop was given the Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year award. In National competitions, she received the 1993 Regional Teleflora Design America Award in Manhattan Beach, CA and in 1996 Carol received the Carik Cup in Denver, CO.
In the early 90’s Carol served on the Stilwell Heritage and Educational Foundation Board as secretary and helped to save and restore a 100+ year old hotel to be used as an apartment building with retail stores on the lower floor.
In 2004, she was chosen Ozark Designer of the Year, and also chosen as the Sunflower Award Winner for the state of Kansas. A favorite celebration of her family’s, as well as local residents, was when she started Pittsburg’s “Good Neighbor Day” in 1994. She gave away 10,000 roses to Pittsburg residents to help spread good relations and friendship within the community. It extended for the next 5 years & beyond!
Hornback’s Posey Shop has been ranked in the top 1000 ranking of over 22,000 nationwide Florist Transworld Delivery (FTD) members. As a Board member of the Kansas State Floral Association, Carol served as an organizer and facilitator in 1995. Carol was truly a “people person”.
Her family is grateful for the care and love given by her friends while her family was so far away.
Memorial Service will be held in Pittsburg in the future. In lieu of flowers, memorial donation are suggested to Pittsburg Beautiful Inc. and these may be left at the Smith-Carson-Wall Funeral Home, 518 W St. John, Box 258, Girard, 66743.
Condolences may be sent to www.wallfuneralservices.com.
