The funeral service for Carolyn Dillon Hargrove will be held at First United Methodist Church in Decatur at 2:00 PM on Thursday, April 25, 2019. The Reverend Hughey Reynolds will officiate. The family will receive friends prior to the funeral at 1:00 PM.
After dedicating her life to her family, her church, and her community, Mrs. Hargrove died on April 21, 2019 in Birmingham, Alabama at the age of 86.
Born in Fayetteville, West Virginia on April 1st, 1933, she was the daughter of the Honorable Henry Estel Dillon, Fayette County Circuit Court Judge, and Edith Wendell Dillon. Mrs. Hargrove attended high school in Fayetteville, West Virginia and graduated from Hollins College in Roanoke, Virginia in 1955 with a B.A. degree in Science and Math.
Mrs. Hargrove was an Engineering Assistant in the General Engineering Laboratory with the General Electric Company in Schenectady, NY from 1955-1960. She was then employed by Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama from 1960-1962, where she was active in the space program.
Carolyn and Paul Hargrove were married in 1960. She dedicated her next 20 years as a homemaker raising three children. She became an active member of First United Methodist Church, serving on the Administrative Board and later as Chairman of the Board. She also served on the Evangelism Committee, Junior League of Morgan County, Decatur Assembly, and the Decatur General Hospital Foundation Guild. Carolyn served as a Commodore for the Decatur Chamber of Commerce, was named a Paul Harris Fellow from the Rotary Club of Decatur, and volunteered her time on numerous other civic activities.
In 1983, Carolyn received a B.S. degree in education with a major in science and math from Athens State College. She re-entered the workforce as a substitute teacher and full time teacher at Decatur High School, and later transitioned to Calhoun Technical College as a Part-time Math Instructor while continuing graduate course work in mathematics at Alabama A&M. She earned her M.A. degree with a major in education and concentration in math at University of North Alabama in Florence in 1989.
From 1990-1992, Carolyn was Lead Education Instructor with the North Alabama Skills Center’s Education and Employability Enhancement Program. This program was part of welfare reform efforts to encourage independence through educational and training activities. Carolyn supervised program activities and curriculum, while organizing and implementing class schedules and student’s future training.
In later years Carolyn continued her work in education as a part time math instructor at Calhoun Community College.
Mrs. Hargrove is survived by her three children, Catherine Hargrove Rary and her husband Bill of Roswell, Georgia; William Dillon Hargrove and his wife Amber of San Antonio, Texas; and David Eugene Hargrove and his wife Lorrie of Vestavia Hills, Alabama; by her 8 grandchildren Lucas Carlton Rary and William Christian Rary of Roswell, Georgia; Gabrielle Lyn Hargrove, Brooke Lee Hargrove, and William Dillon Hargrove, II of San Antonio, Texas; and Paul Michael Hargrove, David Lleyton Hargrove, and Elizabeth Dillon Hargrove of Vestavia Hills, Alabama; by her nephew, Henry Estel Dillon IV and his wife Melinda Dillon of Herndon, Virginia; and by her two step grandchildren Christian Enrique Moreno and Eli Lamar Moreno of San Antonio, Texas. The family is thankful for the love and support given to them in this time.
Pallbearers will be Ned Estes, Eddie Smith, John Underwood, Jeff Earley, Ashton Dement, Stanley Burt, and Dr. Jolly McKenzie.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial gifts be given to the First United Methodist Church, 805 Canal Street NE, Decatur, Alabama 35601, or the Decatur General Foundation, P.O. Box 2239, Decatur, Alabama 35609.
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