Martha Carolyn Scott

July 3, 1939 – September 13, 2025

Born in Mount Holly, North Carolina, to William Campbell and Martha Frances Love, Carolyn lived a life rich in compassion, music, and family. Her early years were marked by resilience and adaptability as her family moved several times before settling in Mooresville, NC. Mooresville was a textile mill town, and her parents worked in the mill while the family lived in company-owned houses known as the Mill Hill. She graduated from high school in 1957.

In 1960, she earned her nursing degree from Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing, Charlotte, NC, launching a lifelong career of care and dedication. She served as a pediatric ward nurse, general floor nurse, and PAC-U recovery nurse, working in North Carolina, Ohio, and California.

After 29 years in Claremont, California, she moved to Louisville, Kentucky, to be closer to her youngest grandchildren. In 2016, she made her final home here at Porters Neck Village.

A devoted mother to Kelly Strickland and Clark Scott, she raised her children with love, wisdom, and laughter. Her joy multiplied as she became a cherished grandmother to four, and more recently, a proud great-grandmother.

Her love of music was a constant thread throughout her life. In Ohio and California, she sang in her church choir and several community chorales, including performances led by internationally acclaimed directors. Singing in a concert at Carnegie Hall under the direction of John Rudder was her most cherished music memory.

Her adventurous spirit took her to Australia, South America, Africa, and Europe; which included a three-month stay in Oxford. The African tour and safari was the best of all her trips. The highlights of the European trips were a visit to her uncle’s grave (WWII)in Margraten, Netherlands, and the Oberammergau Passion Play in Germany.

She is survived by her husband, Garland “Scottie” Scott; daughter Kelly Strickland (Alvie); son Clark Scott (Regina); four grandchildren; brothers Ken Love (Gloria) and Steve Love, and one great-grandson. Carolyn was preceded in death by brother William (Bill) Love and sister Jo Vansickle. Her legacy lives on in the lives she touched, the music she shared, and the family she nurtured.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be sent to “Shoes That Fit” (shoesthatfit.org)

A memorial service will be held on September 22, 2025, at 2 PM at Wesleyan Chapel United Methodist Church, 10255 US Hwy 17 N, Wilmington, NC.