Carol Ann Jolly

Carol Ann Jolly, 75, of Morganton, NC died Sunday, October 27, 2013. Born in South Portland, Maine on February 6, 1938, she was the daughter of the late Lawrence Allen Taylor and Barbara Estell Turgeon Taylor. Carol was a member of Warlick’s Baptist Church and a veteran of the U.S. Air Force.Carol was an avid writer and storyteller whose written and spoken words of deep faith, love, and joyous humor, encouraged all who received them. She was a member of writers groups in ME, SC, and MS before moving to Morganton. As a member of the Morganton Writers Group for over a decade, she regularly contributed articles to the Burke County Notebook in the Sunday Morganton News Herald. She also wrote articles for the Blue Ridge Christian News as well as sharing stories from "Carol's Corner" in her church bulletins and newsletters.After retiring and moving to Morganton, Carol fulfilled a promise to her grandmother, and began an edit on her grandmother's memoir, Squabble Hollow. It was published before Carol started on her own memoirs. She authored two books filled with her life stories: The Home in My Heart, about her years as an activity director at a personal care home in MS and That's What They Said!, about her time as a Kindergarten teacher at a Christian school in Maine. Her love for the Lord and the people she touched is evident on every page.

Carol was a member of the North Carolina Storytelling Guild for several years, and took her stories to local nursing homes. She was known as The Maine Attraction, and she delighted residents with her signature accent, always greeting them with a hug and "Hello, Dahlin'."Carol was a member of American Pen Women both in SC, and the Asheville, NC, Branch, where she also served a term as President.

In the last few years Carol shared her stories online with hundreds of people who signed up to be on her story list.Carol is survived by her husband, Jack Jolly of the home; a son, John W. Jolly and his wife, Dorothea, of Morganton; a daughter, Barbara Deakle and her husband, John, of Gulfport, MS; grandchildren, Alina Jolly, Michaila Jolly, Ronald Eric Jolly, Sarah Jolly, and Nick Dawson; five step-grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and siblings, Lolly VanDevender of Port Arthur, TX, Lonnie Taylor and his wife, Karen, of South Portland; ME and Linnea Farrar of South Portland.In addition to her parents, Carol was preceded in death by a son, Ronald E. Jolly.The funeral will be held at 3:00 p.m., Friday, November 1, 2013 at Warlick’s Baptist Church with the Reverends Gary Murry and John Jolly officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends on Thursday from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m. at Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center.Memorial contributions may be made to Warlick’s Baptist Church Youth Fund, 2684 Warlick’s Church Road, Connelly Springs, NC 28612.