On Sunday January 3, 2021 Carolyn English Wolfe Smith, a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother passed away. She was preceded in death by her parents Gertrude English Wolfe and Thomas Gordon Wolfe, her sister Mary Gordon Anderson, the love of her life John Francis Smith, and her precious daughter Linda Frances Smith.
Carolyn entered this world over 92 years ago in rural Wilkes County Georgia. Born at home, two months premature, she weighed less than 3 lbs and wasn’t expected to make it through the night. Her irrepressible spirit was evident that day and every day of her life. She found joy and happiness in every situation and had a heart of gold.
Carolyn was foremost a devoted wife and mother, but also a prolific artist. Her talents were nurtured at the High Museum School of Art in Atlanta, when that institution was housed in an old mansion. High Museum also informally nurtured her joyful spirit, her dancing, singing, and love of music.
No husband was loved more than her “Johnny” (1927-2011), they had a beautiful love story. They enjoyed dancing, raised a loving family, were active in their community, and after retirement traveled the world together. The couple was married on September 5, 1949 and soon left Atlanta to settle in Maryland where they both worked at the National Security Agency. They built a home in rural Clarksville that later became Columbia MD. This was a big adjustment for Carolyn who grew up as an Atlanta city girl, but she embraced it and was “putting up” produce from Johnny’s abundant garden in no time. She and neighbors started the first Kindergarten in Clarksville, she was extremely active in the PTA, she rolled bandages for the hospital, created art objects sold at hospital and church bazaars, organized a babysitting club, developed fundraisers for the firehouse, and saw through numerous other projects.
After retirement in 1990 Carolyn and John moved to Stuart, VA to be near their daughter Joni Gardner and her young family. They quickly created another fulfilling phase of life in the mountains they came to love. Reynolds Homestead became the center of their new community where Carloyn’s artistic passion was fueled by the many workshops, exhibits and performances that she loved so much. She and John attended countless lectures, classes and took great delight in presenting travelogues of their many trips around the world. Carolyn was active in the Reynolds Homestead Quilters Exchange, the Virginia Foothills Quilting Guild and Piedmont Arts. She regularly exhibited her work and frequently was honored with awards for her beautiful creations.
Alzheimer’s disease took her memory, her amazing artistic talent, even her words, but it never took her spirit. She attributed this to having learned “to count her blessings”. Count them she did through many heartbreaks and hardships the greatest of which was losing her beloved second daughter, Linda, to cancer at the tender age of 2 ½. “The more you count, the more you find” was her motto and extended into her chief mission in life.
Surviving are her children, Sandra Smith (Vic Mark), Tom Smith (Jennifer Matsuura), Joni Gardner (Larry Gardner); five grandchildren, Joyela Kafka Cooper, Aaron Warren, Nanda Warren, Emily Gardner Pluger, Brittany Gardner; and ten great grandchildren.
A celebration of life will be held when it is safe to gather together. Carolyn’s final resting place will be with her husband, John and daughter, Linda at St. John’s Cemetery in MD. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Reynolds Homestead, 463 Homestead Lane, Critz, VA 24082. Online condolences may be sent to www.moodyfuneralservices.com.
