Carolyn Kimsey Griffeth was born November 28, 1917 in Gainesville, Georgia to Eva Belle Kimsey and Marcus L. Kimsey. On Easter Sunday, April 4, 2021, Carolyn, at the age of 103, passed away at her home. On this glorious Easter Sunday, she took an afternoon nap, and she awoke in heaven.
Carolyn was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 36 years, Charles William Griffeth, her parents, her sisters, Mary Carreker and Hilda Walker, her half-brother Bobby Kimsey, and her middle son, Thomas Griffeth.
She is survived by her half-brother Bucky Kimsey of Macon, son Charles Griffeth, Jr. of Gainesville, Georgia, her son, David Warren Griffeth of Athens, Georgia, five grandchildren, twelve great-grandchildren, her beloved caregiver of many years, Patricia Hector and a number of nephews and nieces.
Carolyn lived her early life in Gainesville. She married her high school sweetheart, Charles Griffeth, on January 5, 1936 when they eloped to Anderson, South Carolina. After marrying, they moved to Athens, Georgia. She obtained a bachelor’s degree from Georgia State College for Women in Milledgeville, now Georgia College. She studied piano and taught piano lessons at various times throughout her life. She owned and operated Kim’s Dress Shop in Five Points for a number of years, during which she was able to visit New York City on numerous buying trips, often accompanied by family members. After closing the dress shop she worked for a while at the Georgia Department of Labor in Athens, and then formed Contact Employment Agency which she operated until after Charles’ death in 1972.
The Griffeths and their business were fixtures in Athens, Georgia, and they reveled living, working, and raising children near the University of Georgia.
Charles passed away in 1972, and Carolyn never remarried. Shortly after Charles passed, Carolyn disposed of the businesses, and took a position as a sorority housemother. Never having had daughters, Carolyn now had hundreds, and she loved them as if they were her own. This began an almost three-decade career. At the University of Georgia, Carolyn was housemother at several sorority houses. She was a housemother at Brenau College in her hometown of Gainesville for a while. Occasionally, Carolyn would be enticed by the thought of living in warm and sunny Florida, and she would take a housemother position at a sorority house in Florida, but inevitably her family drew her back to Athens.
Carolyn attended Athens First United Methodist Church for many, many years. She loved her Church and was bold in sharing her faith with anyone who would listen. One of her greatest joys in life was knowing that her grandchildren and great-grandchildren carried on her traditions as members of Athens First United Methodist Church.
Carolyn will be buried beside Charles, after a graveside service that will be held on Friday, April 9, at 1:00 p.m. at Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery in Athens. Carolyn’s nephew, Father Michael Carreker, will officiate. Close friends and family are welcome, and social distancing and masks are encouraged.
Online condolences on our website: BernsteinFuneralHome.com.
Bernstein Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
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