Carolyn E Denson

April 24, 1945 – October 18, 2026

Carolyn Elizabeth Borden Denson, born April 24, 1945, died peacefully on 18th of October, 2026, surrounded by her loving family. She is survived by her husband of more than 65 years, James “Jimmy” Denson; her children, Sherry Denson, Bryan Denson (Valerie), Rodney Denson (Jennifer), Scott Denson (Jackie), and Brittany McMichael (Cameron); 13 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; two sisters and one brother; and many, many friends. She was preceded in death by her mother and father, Emma and Amos Borden, her sisters Sue, Hilda, and Sarah, and her grandson Brady.

Carolyn, also known as Mom, Granny, and Grandma, was a strong Christian woman who lived life to its fullest. She lived by the words of Leviticus 19:18, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am the LORD.” Carolyn truly did. She was a kind soul who never met a stranger and quickly befriended nearly everyone she met.

Carolyn and Jimmy married very young, but their story started even earlier. Who knew that a quick conversation on a school bus in Alexandria, Alabama, in 1961 would turn into a lifelong love affair? In many ways, they grew up together. Like most couples, they experienced the ups and downs that come with a lifetime together, but through it all their commitment to each other, to their family, and to God endured. Together they built a loving and caring family and created a lifetime of wonderful experiences and memories that will continue through their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Carolyn loved her family deeply. She always provided a shoulder to cry on, slipped you a dollar or two when you needed it, sent you home with some home-cooked food when you stopped by, and offered a word of encouragement just when you needed it most. Every conversation ended with, “I love you,” and she sincerely meant it.

Carolyn was born into a farming family and grew up gardening, a passion she held onto throughout her life. One of her simple joys was picking fresh vegetables from her and her sisters’ garden and spending the day cooking, canning, and putting them up for later. She generously shared her canned goods with anyone who wanted them, and more often than not, you walked away with some kraut, chow-chow, pickles, or who-knows-what every time you visited her.

Carolyn also enjoyed camping and exploring nature, something she continued doing well into her later years. The rest of the family loved hearing stories about Carolyn and her sisters camping in tents, building campfires, cooking eggs, bacon, and biscuits over an open fire, and simply hanging out together in the woods. What made the stories even better was remembering that Carolyn was still doing it at 75 years old.

As far back as anyone can remember, Carolyn wished she had a miniature donkey. Her grandson Alex surprised her with one a few years ago, and she immensely enjoyed spending time with “Donkey” and friends at the farm. She even wondered once if it was a sin to love an animal as much as she loved Donkey. We assured her that God probably looked at it the same way we did—that such a sweet love for one of His creations could only be a good thing.

At her 80th birthday party, her family serenaded her with the song “Sweet Caroline,” changing it to “Sweet Carolyn” and caterwauling through a version that could only loosely be described as a song. Regardless, she laughed harder than she had in a long time and afterward shared the story with just about anyone who came within earshot.

We’ll miss you, Sweet Carolyn. We’ll miss the food sent home with us, the stories, the laughter, the encouragement, and especially hearing every conversation end with, “I love you.” But we’ll carry those words, and a lifetime of wonderful memories, with us forever.