Carolyn S. King

Carolyn Smith King, wife of William W. King, Jr., passed away peacefully on the evening of July 2, 2019, with her family by her side. The relatives and friends of Mr. and Mrs. William W. King, Jr. are invited to attend her Funeral Service 2:00 PM Tuesday, July 9, 2019 at Grace Church Cathedral, 98 Wentworth St., Charleston. A private interment will take place after the service. The family will receive friends between 5:30 PM and 7:30 PM Monday at the James A. McAlister Funeral Home, 1620 Savannah Highway, Charleston.

Carolyn was born in Georgetown, SC on April 7, 1938 to the late Ruthe Neighbors Smith Paraham and William Ivan Smith. She lived in Andrews, SC with parents and grandparents until she moved to Charleston, SC at age 13.

Carolyn graduated from St. Andrews High School in Charleston in 1956. Her achievements included academic honor rolls, head cheerleader, student council, various class offices, and Miss St. Andrews High. She formed friendships that lasted through her lifetime.

Carolyn attended the College of Charleston for one year and worked in various secretarial and banking positions in Charleston before moving to Columbia, SC in 1959 with her new husband.

She married the love of her life in early 1959, and began 60 years of wonderful companionship with Bill. Bill started a management career with AT&T, and Carolyn and Bill lived in several different cities over the years including six wonderful years in Puerto Rico. Carolyn thrived in the new culture and became a leader in the newcomers community. After Bill retired from AT&T at age 50, Carolyn and Bill returned “home” to Charleston in 1994.

In Charleston, Carolyn was deeply involved with the Garden Club of South Carolina. She was a leader of the South Windermere Garden Club, her mother’s club. She held many leadership roles in the state and regional garden club organizations, and was twice President of the Council of Garden Clubs of Greater Charleston. She was also an active member of the Edgewater Park Garden Club, and Charleston Community Pride Organization. Carolyn was committed to her garden club activities and formed many deep, long-lasting friendships with her fellow members.

Carolyn’s passions were her family, friends, and community. She is survived by her husband Bill and two loving sons, John (Jillian) of Charleston SC, and Nick of Raleigh, NC. She was blessed with nine grandchildren: John Samuel, Wade, Nick, Meghan, Braden, Phillip, Alyssa, Alyson and Nicholas. She is survived by her sister, Hilda Hamrick of Charleston SC, a brother, Bruce (Barbara) of Shereveport LA, a brother, Michael (Gayle), and a sister, Marilyn both of Andrews, SC. She was predeceased by her son William, and her daughter Beth, as well as her sister Nora.

One of Carolyn’s neighbors gave her an Aboriginal Proverb upon her passing…“We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, To learn, to grow, to love…And then we return home.”

Carolyn gave her all to observing, learning, growing and loving. Now she has returned home.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee ( www.stjude.org ) or the Garden Club of South Carolina, Inc. ( www.gardenclubofsc.org ).