Carolyn Jarvis Carter

Carolyn Jarvis Carter loved Christmas. It was a time in which the three things she held dear in life - her family, her friends and her faith in God - converged in celebration. So there is a gentle poetic righteousness in the knowledge that she died on Dec. 25, 2011, Christmas Day, aged 74, surrounded by her loving family, held close to her Savior, whom she tirelessly and proudly served. Her body, weakened by a 40-year-fight with diabetes, finally wore out. But her spirit and strength of character, her courage and determination, and her unbending dedication to living life with a positive attitude, remained strong and will live on in the hearts of everyone she touched in what her family describes as a truly adventurous life. She met many, many people in her journey, and she considered each and everyone a friend. When she made a friend, that person was a friend for life. She was a strong and successful business woman who made her own way - a byproduct of being the youngest of seven children. But it is her selflessness and richness of character, more than all else, that towers as her legacy. Carolyn Jarvis Carter made the world around her a better place, a guiding light of inspiration even in the darkest of times. She was one of a kind - the finest kind. She was born Nov. 21, 1937 in Clemmons to John Franklin Jarvis and Kate Jane Lowder Jarvis. She was the last-born of seven children and the only daughter, something that served her well in the eyes of her appreciative and doting parents. Her nurturing nature was quickly evident; she loved to help her brothers and parents. She became treasured as a natural caregiver for whom no task was too great. Her strong work ethic followed her through life and served her well, most notably as the co-owner of Holmes Delivery Service, a successful trucking company in Houston, Texas, that she co-owned for 20-plus years. Family was everything to her; she found great joy in tracing and archiving her family history. She loved being surrounded by friends and family, enjoyed meeting people, and was quick with a smile and encouraging word. She was so fond of sending cards to her many friends that family members often joked that she single-handedly kept the U.S. Postal Service afloat. As she got older, her love of community and the fellowship of the church became passions in her life. While living in Texas, she became a popular and accomplished leader in the United Methodist Women, a Christian mission organization. The church bolstered her strong faith and was the constant motivating force throughout her life, so much so that she was much admired by parishioners for her strong values. She was the constant loving and devoted companion of her husband, Gene Carter, who was the Operations Manager for the Winston-Salem Journal from 1960 to 1995. Since marrying on June 2, 1996, the couple traveled the world, kept an impressive garden and entertained friends and family with lavish home-cooked meals. Together, they maintained a blended family, loving all with equality. It is testament to their bond that when Carolyn's health began to fail, Gene shared her health burdens without complaint, treating her maladies as if they were his own. Their union was strong. Carolyn Jarvis Carter approached life without fear, always looking forward, never looking back. During difficult times, she never asked, ""Why me?,"" but pragmatically said, ""Why not me?"" She was a beautiful woman with a beautiful soul. She will be missed, forever remembered in the smiles of everyone she touched. Carolyn is survived by her husband, Gene Carter; a brother, William Tennyson Jarvis (Glenola); a son, Mark Herman (Judy); two daughters, Kimberly Hill (Steve) and Georgianna Walker; a step-daughter, Tara Holmes Stebbings (John); two step-sons, Keith Carter and Michael Carter; seven grandchildren - Tyler Hill, Hayley Holmes, Genesis Walker, Trey Walker, Andy Harper, Tommy Harper and Katie Taylor - two great-grandchildren, Molly Jacobs and Morgan Jacobs, and many nieces and nephews. The family would also like to thank two special caregivers, Leona Transou and Connie Steinberg, and the 8th-floor nurses of the Dialysis Unit at Forsyth Medical Center. Visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday at Hayworth-Miller Kinderton Chapel across from Bermuda Run. The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, December 28, 2011 at Harmony Grove Methodist Church in Clemmons. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Family and friends will gather in the church's Fellowship Hall following the service. Memorials may be made to Harmony Grove United Methodist Church, 5041 Styers Ferry Rd., Lewisville, NC 27023. Online condolences may be made to www.hayworth-miller.com

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