Carolyn was the oldest of four children born to Herman Wilson Taylor and Flo Donaldson Taylor. Mrs. Wilson completed a Bachelor’s degree at David Lipscomb College in 1957 and a Master of Library Science at George Peabody College in 1976. Retired Director of Lipscomb University Beaman Library, Mrs. Wilson first started out in the classroom as a teacher of English for the Fulton County School System. She became a serial cataloger at the Vanderbilt University Library in Nashville in 1974 and remained at the library for three years before she began working as an assistant librarian at United Methodist Publishing House. In 1980, Mrs. Wilson was offered a position at David Lipscomb University, where she worked her way up to director at their Beaman Library until 2014, when she officially retired.
Dedicated to her faith, Carolyn was a member of Otter Creek Church of Christ for over 50 years. For the past 15 years, as she always loved to write, she maintained an ongoing feature column for a bi-monthly, inspirational magazine, called "21st Century Christian."
Carolyn Wilson was a member of the American Library Association and the Tennessee Library Association, which honored her with a Frances Neel Cheney Award in 1992. As a member and former Secretary of the Executive Board of the Southeastern Library Association, she also served as Chair of the Outstanding Southeastern Author Award, and Chair of the Southern Books Competition. As a long-time member of the Women's National Book Association, she served both as president and member of the Board for the Nashville Chapter, in addition to serving as president of the national organization from 1992-94.
Mrs. Wilson spent time as a consultant and researcher, member and leader in projects for the Tennessee State Bicentennial Year, including Tennessee Literary Legacy and Literary Map, as project director for the Tennessee Humanities Council grant, as a representative for Academic Libraries on the Tennessee Advisory Council on Libraries, and on the board of directors for the Disciple of Christ Historical Society. She has received a number of awards throughout her career, including the MIHOW Award by Women Mentoring Women and the John William Baker Faculty Award from Lipscomb University, and Honorary Lifetime Membership in the Women's National Book Association.
Mrs. Wilson was preceded in death by her parents, her husband of over 25 years, Dr. Larry Kittrell Wilson, and brother Cordell Taylor. Mrs. Wilson is survived by her sisters, Barbara Smith (Otis), Anita Joor, daughters, Jennifer Wilson (Ralph) Rust and Elissa Anne Wilson (Paul Michael Hunt), three grandchildren, Lauren (Jeremy Lucas), Meagan and Taylor Rust, and her great-granddaughter, Elinor Violet.
Visitation will be Tuesday from 5-8 p.m and Wednesday from 9-11 a.m. The service will be on Wednesday at 11a.m. All events will be held at the Otter Creek Church of Christ at 409 Franklin Road in Brentwood. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to AGAPE Nashville (https://agape.kindful.com/campaigns/129), Herman W. Taylor Christian Camp (http://www.taylorchristiancamp.org/contact), Lipscomb University Beaman Library Herman W. Taylor Memorial Fund (https://ww2.lipscomb.edu/gift), and the Women’s National Book Association (https://wnba-books.org/donate-to-the-wnba/).
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