Eulamae Octavia Williamson Carringer (1928-2006)... (2024)

On January 16, 2006, Mom was buried beside Dad in the church cemetery, wearing her favorite pink dress. Dad would have given a whistle if he could have seen her as he always admired her in that dress. Eulamae Octavia Williamson Carringer, 77, of Brasstown, NC died Saturday, January 14, 2006 at Valley View Care Center in Andrews, NC following a period of declining health caused by diabetic-related issues. She was my mother, one of the best mothers in the world.

Mom was a native of Union County, GA, a daughter of the late Gus and Mae Messer Williamson. She was a member of Little Brasstown Baptist Church. During the last year of World War II, she worked in a textile mill in Gastonia, NC. She returned to her native area in 1946 and married Robert Bruce Carringer in December of that year.

Mom loved growing flowers, cooking, canning, gardening, children, animals, collecting a large variety of cookbooks, and was an avid reader. She worked for many years in child development programs in Clay County, and did volunteer work for the Valley River Humane Society. She believed in the promise and value of education and encouraged her children and her grandchildren to never stop the pursuit of learning. Mom loved all things about nature. When I was a child and summer thunderstorms would develop, Mom would tell my sister and me not to be frightened, but to enjoy and admire all the natural elements that were on display. She also taught us to use materials within our daily lives to entertain ourselves rather than begging for expensive toys. She would often stop her work just to help us cut paper dolls from the old Sears catalog. Rocks and dark green moss were soon made into Cinderella's castle and she showed us how to fashion dolls out of twigs, a bit of glue, and fabric scraps.

Mom practiced what she preached about education. She returned to school, got her GED, and then graduated from Southwestern Community College in 1980 with an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education, which enabled her to realize a long-time dream of owning her own state-licensed childcare center. She opened Seven Dwarfs Daycare Center and maintained it successfully for the next twelve years. She retired in 1992 and enjoyed spending time at home with her family and many friends. Mom had been diagnosed with diabetes in the early 1980s and managed her disease with good nature and aplomb, never complaining about having to give herself two injections of insulin a day. While she could not eat the wonderful cakes and pies she could make, she never failed to produce them at birthdays, holidays, and other special occasions.

Besides her parents, Mom was preceded in death by her husband of fifty-nine years, my father, Robert Bruce Carringer, who died August 23, 2005.

Eulamae Octavia Williamson Carringer is survived by her three children, two brothers, one sister, seven grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, several nieces, nephews, and her many friends.

Funeral services were held at 1:00 pm Monday, January 16, 2006, at the Little Brasstown Baptist Church in Brasstown, NC. Rev. Aud Brown and Rev. R.L Martin officiated. Interment was in the church cemetery beside Dad. Pallbearers were David Anderson, Kenneth Davis, Tony Shook, Larry Williamson, Carroll Williamson, and John Gibson. Honorary pallbearers were Robert Allen and Michael Anderson. The family received friends from 11 am to 1:00 pm Monday, January 16, 2006 at the church prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in memory of Eulamae Williamson Carringer to Little Brasstown Baptist Church Building Fund, PO Box 12, Brasstown, NC 28902, to Friends of the Library, Murphy, NC 28906, and/or to the Valley River Humane Society, Murphy, NC. Townson Rose Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

An Everlasting Memorial for Eulamae Williamson Carringer, my wonderful, brave, and beautiful mother, can be viewed at http://www.mem.com

On February 6, 2006 we had a "Eulamae Memory Day" at Uncle Odie's house. Sylvia, our cousin Larry's wife, brought forks for each of us to take home as a commemorative of the day. She had tied pink roses and yellow construction paper stars to the forks. On the stars Sylvia had written "The Best is Yet to Come." She was referencing a story R.L. Martin had told at Mom's funeral. Also my brother Perry had made Mom's favorite chocolate pound cake and we spent the afternoon reminiscing about Mom, sharing many laughs and tears.

On January 16, 2006, Mom was buried beside Dad in the church cemetery, wearing her favorite pink dress. Dad would have given a whistle if he could have seen her as he always admired her in that dress. Eulamae Octavia Williamson Carringer, 77, of Brasstown, NC died Saturday, January 14, 2006 at Valley View Care Center in Andrews, NC following a period of declining health caused by diabetic-related issues. She was my mother, one of the best mothers in the world.

Mom was a native of Union County, GA, a daughter of the late Gus and Mae Messer Williamson. She was a member of Little Brasstown Baptist Church. During the last year of World War II, she worked in a textile mill in Gastonia, NC. She returned to her native area in 1946 and married Robert Bruce Carringer in December of that year.

Mom loved growing flowers, cooking, canning, gardening, children, animals, collecting a large variety of cookbooks, and was an avid reader. She worked for many years in child development programs in Clay County, and did volunteer work for the Valley River Humane Society. She believed in the promise and value of education and encouraged her children and her grandchildren to never stop the pursuit of learning. Mom loved all things about nature. When I was a child and summer thunderstorms would develop, Mom would tell my sister and me not to be frightened, but to enjoy and admire all the natural elements that were on display. She also taught us to use materials within our daily lives to entertain ourselves rather than begging for expensive toys. She would often stop her work just to help us cut paper dolls from the old Sears catalog. Rocks and dark green moss were soon made into Cinderella's castle and she showed us how to fashion dolls out of twigs, a bit of glue, and fabric scraps.

Mom practiced what she preached about education. She returned to school, got her GED, and then graduated from Southwestern Community College in 1980 with an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education, which enabled her to realize a long-time dream of owning her own state-licensed childcare center. She opened Seven Dwarfs Daycare Center and maintained it successfully for the next twelve years. She retired in 1992 and enjoyed spending time at home with her family and many friends. Mom had been diagnosed with diabetes in the early 1980s and managed her disease with good nature and aplomb, never complaining about having to give herself two injections of insulin a day. While she could not eat the wonderful cakes and pies she could make, she never failed to produce them at birthdays, holidays, and other special occasions.

Besides her parents, Mom was preceded in death by her husband of fifty-nine years, my father, Robert Bruce Carringer, who died August 23, 2005.

Eulamae Octavia Williamson Carringer is survived by her three children, two brothers, one sister, seven grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, several nieces, nephews, and her many friends.

Funeral services were held at 1:00 pm Monday, January 16, 2006, at the Little Brasstown Baptist Church in Brasstown, NC. Rev. Aud Brown and Rev. R.L Martin officiated. Interment was in the church cemetery beside Dad. Pallbearers were David Anderson, Kenneth Davis, Tony Shook, Larry Williamson, Carroll Williamson, and John Gibson. Honorary pallbearers were Robert Allen and Michael Anderson. The family received friends from 11 am to 1:00 pm Monday, January 16, 2006 at the church prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in memory of Eulamae Williamson Carringer to Little Brasstown Baptist Church Building Fund, PO Box 12, Brasstown, NC 28902, to Friends of the Library, Murphy, NC 28906, and/or to the Valley River Humane Society, Murphy, NC. Townson Rose Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

An Everlasting Memorial for Eulamae Williamson Carringer, my wonderful, brave, and beautiful mother, can be viewed at http://www.mem.com

On February 6, 2006 we had a "Eulamae Memory Day" at Uncle Odie's house. Sylvia, our cousin Larry's wife, brought forks for each of us to take home as a commemorative of the day. She had tied pink roses and yellow construction paper stars to the forks. On the stars Sylvia had written "The Best is Yet to Come." She was referencing a story R.L. Martin had told at Mom's funeral. Also my brother Perry had made Mom's favorite chocolate pound cake and we spent the afternoon reminiscing about Mom, sharing many laughs and tears.