Carol Sue Denton

Carol was preceded in death by her first husband, Alvin; her second husband, Jr.; her parents, Elmer and Truda; her unborn twin babies; her brother, Bill May; and her sister, Geraldine Mills.

Carol spent her childhood and teenage years in KY, but eventually moved to NC with her future husband, Alvin Eugene Thomas, and the two were married soon after. They wed in 1962, when Carol was 16 years old, at the foot of their bed in their Charlotte home. Alvin and Sue started their family one year later when their first child was born, and they went on to grow their family by four more children in the years that followed.

Alvin and Carol were a safe haven to so many family members and friends; their home was always open for loved ones in need, whether someone just needed a meal or a listening ear, or if they needed something more, Alvin and Carol were always there. Alvin passed away in April of 2002, after 40 years of marriage.

Carol found love again in January of 2010 when she married her longtime friend, Jasper “Jr.” Denton. Although he lived in TN, his job as a truck driver brought him through Charlotte often enough that he could spend time with Carol and check up on her. Carol eventually moved to TN to live with Jr., and she remained there with him until his passing in 2014.

As a young woman, Carol’s first job was operating a switchboard for Southern Bell. Her lifelong passion, though, was working as a seamstress, and she worked for herself for most of her life, operating out of her home. She was so dedicated to that work, and so skilled, that she was even working on an order at the time of her passing.

Carol attended Paw Creek Church of God for many years and raised her kids in that church. As time went on and she was only driving locally, she attended a few other local churches with family and friends. She was also a devoted member of the Red Hat Club and the Basket Weaving Club.

In her free time, Carol enjoyed sewing, both for work and pleasure, painting with all mediums but especially acrylics, and basket weaving. She was very crafty in many ways, and notably made baby dolls for her kids and other little ones in the family. She loved spending time with her sister, Etta, going bargain shopping and going to Belk, and they also teamed up to keep the community kitchen stocked with food from the food bank for older folks who weren’t able to easily go out for food. One of Carol’s favorite pastimes was going to Captain D’s every Wednesday.

Carol was strong-willed and independent, but also endlessly giving, compassionate, and non-judgmental. She always made sure everyone was fed, and would literally give someone the shirt off her back if they said they wanted or needed it.

Those left to remember Carol include her children, Tuulekka Noblitt (Bill), Timothy Thomas (Amy), Terence Thomas (Tracy), Tamaria Moody, and Sheldon Thomas (Lisa); her grandchildren, Crystal, Jasmine, Joshua, Carol, Kyle, Jacob, Scott, Ray, Joseph, Grayson, Savannah, Matt, Levi, Eli, Aubriana, Dawson, and Hannah; her great-grandchildren, Rileigh, Bella, Harlow, Lucian, Rhett, Kagen, Olivia U., Olivia C., Hunter, Raelynn, Nevaeh, Colton, Magnolia, Sawyer, and one on the way; her siblings, Etta Morris (Ricky), Anne Frank (David), Darlene Combs (Don), and Gary May (Emily); as well as numerous other loving family and friends.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from 11:00am until 12:30pm on Friday, September 2, 2022 at Forest Lawn West Funeral Home, 4601 Freedom Drive in Charlotte. The funeral service is to be conducted at 12:30pm, following the visitation, in the Paul Helton Chapel at the funeral home. The burial will follow at Forest Lawn West Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Carol’s name to Autism Speaks, Holy Angels, or the Alzheimer’s Association.