Carolyn S. Garner

Carolyn S. Garner, 83, passed away peacefully on August 5, 2021 after a brief battle with cancer and covid. She was surrounded by her husband of 59 years, her sons and her daughter-in-laws. She was born on April 14, 1938 in Portland, Indiana and moved to Carlsbad after earning her college degree to begin her teaching career. Carlsbad was the place she called home ever since.

Visitation will be 5:00pm - 7:00pm, Monday, August 9, 2021 at Fox & Lake Church of Christ. A celebration of life is scheduled for 11:00 AM Saturday, August 21, 2021, at Fox and Lake Church of Christ.

Carolyn was born to Kenneth and Margorie Bryan in an upstairs bedroom of her Grandmother Stephenson’s house in Portland, Indiana. In elementary school her family moved to Kermit, Texas where her dad secured a job in the oil fields. Carolyn graduated from Kermit High School in 1956 and then attended Odessa College for her first few years. While at Odessa, she was involved in student council as the treasurer as well as the second lieutenant of the Las Senoritas, a famed marching group of the college. She finished her teaching degree at The University of North Texas after completing her student teaching at Lily B. Clayton Elementary in Fort Worth. Carolyn got her first job in Carlsbad at Eddy Elementary teaching 2nd grade. To this very day, many of her past students express their gratitude and admiration.

Shortly after moving to Carlsbad, Carolyn was introduced to the love of her life, Jimmie R. Garner and they were married on Saturday, August 18, 1962 in Lovington, NM. Carolyn continued to teach in the public schools until the birth of their first born, Kenneth Garner. While raising her family was her first priority, Carolyn continued to make an impact on many other families throughout her life. This included teaching preschool at Fox & Lake’s Tell Me Time School, numerous Bible classes, VBS classes and other special church functions. Carolyn always decorated for the church’s Junior/Senior Banquets for many years. She loved to help in many ways. Her talent didn’t stop at teaching - she also helped with bookkeeping and other accounting duties for the family business, Carlsbad Block & Supply. Her benevolent heart always reached out to provide a meal for funerals, a helping hand to the sick and a listening ear to the hurting. Likewise, no one can count the volunteer’s hours she put into her boys’ activities growing up - cub scout den leader, choir chaperone & parent extraordinaire, and team mom for every sport under the sun (such as scorekeeper for the little league games.) While helping out so many organizations, she continued to make important impacts on other moms, sons & daughters involved in these activities. To come in contact with Carolyn was to be forever blessed.

Carolyn became a grandmother in 1997, when the first one was born. She was called GG and immediately owned her role as a loving, supporting and active grandma. She didn’t miss any milestones, award ceremonies or important performances, even though that meant driving to the DFW metroplex over and over again. She did this for her own sons and wasn’t about to miss anything for her grandkids either. She had 5 grandkids and 8 great-grandkids, who will all miss her greatly.

Carolyn was preceded in death by her parents, Kenneth & Marjorie Bryan; and her sister, Connie Beardon

Survivors are her husband, Jim Garner; sons, Ken Garner and wife, Patsy, Jamie Garner and wife, Audra; grandchildren Matt Garner and wife, Lauren, Morgan Garner, Maysen Garner, Glenda White and husband Kevin, Chris Baucom and wife Carole; great-grandchildren, Riley, Peyton, Kourtnie and Kaysen White and Camden, Crewe, Cavin and Cadence Baucom.

The family wishes to express their deep and sincere gratitude to the many friends of Carolyn’s over the years whom she cherished like family members. Your prayers and well-wishes have been heard and felt by the family. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Lakeview Christian Home via their website: https://www.lakeviewchristian.com/charitable-giving.