Doris Elaine Carr

She had three children (Kenny (Sue), Larry and Joy (Mike)), three grandchildren (Leah, Wesley (Laura) and Christopher (Amanda) and three great grandchildren (Lucy, Zoey and Henry). She also is survived by her sister, Marietta Chisolm (Ivan), and many nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents, John F. McCauley, Sr. and Myrtle R. McCauley, her husband of 43 years, Herman T. Carr, her son, Herman Lawrence (Larry) Carr, and her brothers, John Felix McCauley, Jr. and William (Billy) McCauley.

She led her family in an honorable way. She was happiest when all of the family gathered. She kept close contact with many family members and friends all the way from her childhood. She is well known for her handwritten notes and cards she mailed by the dozens. If you were fortunate enough to be one of the many to receive one of her notes, you know how heart-felt her words poured out in them. Proverbs 20:7 - “The righteous lead blameless lives; blessed are their children after them.” John 13:34 - “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

She was truly a peacemaker. Matthew 5:9 - “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”

She was humble. Matthew 5:5 - “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”

She was pure in heart. Her core being was kind. She showed God’s grace and strength that lived within her every day. She always had the prettiest smile, which was surely God’s love welling up from deep inside. She saw God every day and will see Him forevermore.

Matthew 5:8 - “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”

She was a constant true example of how to live following Jesus as The Good Shepherd. We never remember her being the one to preach to us. She just showed us God’s love through her actions. We all came to know and profess our faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord because of her example. We live today and eternally in God’s presence because of her guidance.

She was a living example of James 3; refreshing water from a tamed tongue and a good life filled with good deeds done in humility from wisdom.

She never spoke an unkind word about anyone. The only foul phrase she ever said was “screwed up” referring to someone who had made a foolish mistake (shook us all up when she said it).

She had many special gifts, one of which was the gift of noticing and appreciating “the little things” in nature. Traveling with her in the car was always a treat, as she would point out every beautifully shaped tree, or the beauty of the sky, or wildflowers along the side of the road. Caused the driver, usually Mike, a skipped heartbeat, as she often loudly gasped just before stating what she was gasping at, causing us to think a car was about to hit us or some other impending doom, but we’d soon realize all was well, it was just Mama in awe of God’s beautiful world. An all-time favorite memory of Mike’s is when she yelled out, “There’s a snake in the road!”, but alas, she was only referring to the road sign for a curvy road ahead. Leah and Wesley spent many hours with her when they were little, and spent much time gardening and going for walks and picking up nature’s treasures along the way. Her love of nature extended to the gift of a “green thumb” she inherited from her parents. Joy struggled with trying to develop this gift over many years, but often sent houseplants to Mama’s plant hospital. A few weeks later, a completely restored plant was returned to try to endure amateur treatment again. Somehow, as the disease took more of Mama’s mind, Joy delighted in discovering that the gift of the green thumb had indeed finally passed down.

Another of her special gifts was teaching. Spelling, vocabulary and proper grammar were her strong points. We were all well educated and succeeded in life as a result.

Her early life during The Great Depression instilled a very conservative way of life. She was not rich in money at any time during her life. She happily made very little last for a very long time. She could make a week’s meals from a single chicken and her family was well fed. She saved everything valuable, yet never hoarded. She kept every annual tax document from the beginning of their marriage in 1952. Everything was always labeled and organized. She saved coins from the birthday of every child and grandchild. Those coins were used to open savings accounts for all her great grandchildren. Yes, she saved aluminum foil, plastic grocery bags, containers, twist ties, paper clips and more. She was quietly saving the Earth long before the current “activists”!

She provided a safe and secure family environment, even after we left home. Even today, her memory brings peace and solid confidence in troubling times.

She made sure we always had what we needed, not always what we wanted.

She was stable and firm under sometimes very difficult times.

She loved her husband, Herman, and cared for him until his death on May 12, 1996. She shared his love for music and instilled that love within all three of us. Music was always in our house in one way or the other.

She cared for Larry after his teenage bicycle accident, supported him through a happy, yet difficult life. The gift of music was lived out by Larry. She bore the grief of his sudden and unexpected death on August 31, 2013.

She lived through and was wiser than seventeen U. S. presidents, from Calvin Coolidge through Joe Biden.

She survived nine major historical events from The Great Depression through the War in Afghanistan.

We are grateful for the kind and loving care of the precious ladies at The Gardens at Calvary and The Greenhouse at Calvary, who became her second family, and for the wonderful staff from Gentiva Hospice who cared for her soul and body the last few months, especially Rev. Steve Croft and Marie Harrison, RN.

She passed away quietly and peacefully on a lovely Sunday Fall evening, her favorite season, as she loved the changing colors of the leaves. If you see a ginkgo tree with its bright yellow fall leaves, think of Mama. She is now home together and forever with God, living happily and smiling in His presence.

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,

I will fear no evil, for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

Surely your goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Amen.