Carolyn Newton Smith

Carolyn Newton Smith, born Carolyn Jean Miles, age 86 passed away February 2024, in Jacksonville, Florida. She was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina on February 24, 1937, the only child of Mr. & Mrs. William R. Miles (Octavia Bass Miles). Her gentle nature and sweetness touched many but it was her special gift of music that spoke to anyone who heard her play the piano or organ. She began playing at the age of 7 and her love of music grew over the years and extended to playing the pipe organ and singing in various choirs. Devotion to her community lead to playing for countless church services, weddings, funerals and even performing in a choir ensemble at Carnegie Hall. She never turned down anyone who asked her to play as she felt as though playing was her service to God.

Carolyn attended Meredith College and graduated from Atlantic Christian College in 1959 and was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma teachers’ sorority. She taught business at Terry Sanford High School in Fayetteville, NC before becoming a private piano teacher and later a public school music teacher in Dunn, NC. Her sweet demeanor and kindness were one of the first things people noticed. Years after her retirement, students would approach her while out and about and tell her how much they admired her; it was almost a daily occurrence which brought her much joy. Carolyn was an organist at the First Baptist Church in Dunn, North Carolina from 1962 until 1998. In 1960, Carolyn met the love of her life, William Taylor Newton at a dance in Harnett County and the rest is history. The two were married on February 18, 1961 and welcomed their first daughter, Carolyn Elizabeth in March 1962. In January, four years later, Virginia Anne was born and the family was complete.

Carolyn, the epitome of southern grace and charm, had a great sense of style and loved fashion as well as entertaining dinner guests. She was a member of the Lucknow Garden Club and was President of the Heart Association of Dunn, where she helped raise money for research. An avid reader, she was a member of book clubs in her home state of North Carolina as well as Florida. She had an unending curiosity of life, culture and travel. Carolyn celebrated 37 years of marriage to Taylor, before he passed in 1998 after a lengthy battle with cancer. She found love again after meeting Carlton Smith and marrying in 2000. They spent 11 wonderful years together traveling to the North Carolina mountains or to Wrightsville Beach and spending time with their integrated family which included many grandchildren and a few great grandchildren.

In 2012, she moved to Jacksonville, FL to be closer to her daughter Elizabeth and her husband, Ford. A big supporter of the arts, she immediately began attending the symphony and visiting the Cummer Museum of Art on a regular basis. She found her new church family at Riverside Presbyterian Church which she faithfully attended for services, bible studies, and Circle meetings. When she could no longer attend in person, she found great comfort and much joy in watching the services online and having visits from clergy and church members.

Left to cherish memories of her beautiful life and wonderful videos of her playing the piano are her two daughters, Elizabeth Newton Riley (Ford) of Jacksonville, FL, Virginia Anne Newton of Switzerland, her adoring cats Penny and Jane as well as numerous loving family members and friends. Special thanks to her faithful caregiver and friend in her last years, Velma Charles.

Memorials may be made to Riverside Presbyterian Church, 849 Park St., Jacksonville, FL 32204 or a charity of one’s choice. A celebration of life service will be held at a later date where her daughters, family and friends will gather in Dunn, North Carolina.