Carolyn Lois Gardner, age 75, of Magnolia, passed away Thursday, April 7, 2022, peacefully at her home, surrounded by family.
She was born in LaRue County on January 29, 1947; made a profession of faith in Christ and was a member of Mt. Zion Separate Baptist Church in Magnolia.
Carolyn was retired from working for Dolly Madison, Magnolia Market and Magnolia Stop-N-Shop and was well known for her cooking, especially her fried cornbread, green beans and desserts including her homemade pies and Italian Cream Cake. She was an avid collector of pencils, marbles, coke tabs, buttons, hummingbirds and what-nots and enjoyed working crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, playing Scrabble, mowing her yard, her wood stove and most of all cooking. Carolyn continued to do all the things she enjoyed until her body was unable to continue, she was diagnosed with Stave IV Lung Cancer in November of 2011 and continued to fight her battle until she just couldn’t any longer.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Roy Leon Gardner; her parents, Kenneth Eugene and Gladys Ewing Wolford; six brothers, James, Frank, Bobby, Earl, Ronald and Kenneth Wolford and a sister, Shirley Kennedy.
Carolyn is survived by a son, Wayne (Rhonda) Benningfield of Magnolia; a daughter, Robin (Todd) Baker of Summer Shade; two step-sons, Eddie (Beverly) Riggs of Magnolia and Terry (Jennifer) Gardner of Sonora; three grandchildren, Jasmine Benningfield of Magnolia and Alexandria and Aelec Baker, both of Summer Shade; two brothers, Dana Wolford of Radcliff and David (Esther) Wolford of Magnolia; two sisters, Frances (Bobby) Sloan of Amory, MS and Brenda (David) Johnson of Buffalo and many nieces and nephews. Carolyn was “Mammaw” to countless children including “B”, Blake, Promise, Shiloh and many more.
Her house was considered “The Gathering Place” where company would gather, coffee would be made and gossiping took place around the kitchen table. Carolyn always made sure everyone left with something, whether it be food, canned goods or some type of grocery item.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. (ET), Tuesday, April 12, at Dixon-Rogers Funeral Home in Magnolia with Bro. Darren Wolford officiating. Burial will follow in the Mt. Zion Church Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 1 to 8 p.m. (ET), Monday and after 9 a.m. (ET), Tuesday at the funeral home.
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