Carolyn Whitehurst

Carolyn Elam Whitehurst passed away on Friday, March 18, at her home in Winston-Salem, NC after a long battle with Alzheimer’s.

She was surrounded by family and friends at the time of her death. Carolyn was born on December 29, 1932, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and lived there with her parents, Leila Dean Elam and Glenn Edgar Elam, her brothers, Glenn Jr. and Richard, and sisters, Diane and Shirley.

After graduation from R.J. Reynolds High School in 1953, she went to work for Security Life Insurance as a secretary. One of her co-workers, Betty Bailey, introduced Carolyn by-way-of a blind date to a close friend John Robert (Bob) Whitehurst and they married on July 22, 1956. Robert completed military service in 1954 with the US Army and returned to his career at Western Electric/AT&T. Carolyn remained in Winston-Salem, NC where she lived for the rest of her life.

Carolyn was a wonderful daughter, wife, homemaker, mother and grandmother. She was a devout Christian and follower of Christ who loved to serve her church in any capacity she could. She loved to cook, host family gatherings and support every conceivable activity related to her immediate and extended family. She loved her trips to eastern NC to spend time with her mother-in-law and father-in-law and extended family there.

Her greatest joy was her family, including her children Bobby Whitehurst (Lynda), and Wesley Whitehurst (Sandy), her grandchildren Chris Whitehurst (Whitney), Matthew Whitehurst, Lindsay Kensington and Trisha Southern (Nick), and great grandchildren Emerson, Matthew, Montgomery, Samuel Whitehurst and Bailey Southern as well as her numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and in-laws.

She was a cheerleading baseball "mom" to both of her sons and grandsons Chris and Matthew, confidante to her granddaughters Lindsay and Trisha, and served as caregiver to each one of her grandchildren as they were growing up. Carolyn was a loving person and true friend to all. She is remembered for her tender heart, kindred spirit, and her ability to always remain optimistic and happy in conjunction with how she viewed the world. She exerted the kind of positive energy that always makes you smile in any circumstance.

A funeral service for Carolyn will be held at 1:00 pm on Tuesday, March 22, 2022 at Glenn View Baptist Church with Dr. Brad Wright and Rev. Coley Rimmer officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends from 11:00 am until 12:45 pm prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, donations in Carolyn’s memory may be made to her spiritual home, Glenn View Baptist Church, 4275 Glenn Hi Rd, Winston-Salem, NC 27107 or to Trellis Supportive Hospice Care at www.trellissupport.org. Hayworth-Miller Kernersville Chapel is assisting the family.