Carolyn Marie Thomas

Carolyn Marie Thomas passed into the eternal realm of God's love and light on Saturday, February 25, 2023, while residing at the Crystal Coast Hospice House in Newport, NC.

She was born on July 25,1938, to the late Melvin and Kasmara Thompson in Detroit, Michigan. She is preceded in death by her first husband John Baily Stinson and her second husband Willard D. Thomas. Carolyn is survived by her beloved four children: Michele Gallup, Andrea Stinson, Kathy Warren and John Thomas along with her grandchildren: Nathaniel Rouhan, Jennifer Rouhan, Matt Rouhan, Becky Huntoon, Travis Gallup, Evan Thomas, Emily Thomas, and Elliott Thomas, and eight great grandchildren. She is survived by her younger sister Marie Thompson-Cooney who resides in Michigan, with whom she had a very close bond. Carolyn maintained very loving relationships with many of her nieces, nephews, and cousins from multiple branches of the family tree.

She led a full life and resided in several places special to her heart including the Detroit area, Hendersonville, North Carolina and Howard City, Michigan before recently moving to Newport, North Carolina with her daughter Andrea. Carolyn enjoyed travel to interesting and exotic places in the United States from oceans, to Yosemite, Nova Scotia and to Alaska.
While raising her children, she volunteered to serve as a Brownie / Girl Scout troop leader and as a catechism teacher at St. Martin de Porres Catholic church in Warren, Michigan. As the daughter of an Eagle Scout, she loved land scaping, visiting National Parks and set an example as an environmental steward initiating a litter clean-up before adopt a road was established, teaching her kids the importance of preserving nature, picking up after yourself to reduce your footprint and leave it better than you found it and we were rewarded with a great big ice cream cone for our efforts.

Seeking fulfillment professionally, she went to college after all her children were in school and completed a degree in occupational therapy. She worked for many years in Michigan and North Carolina, helping countless people rehabilitate their bodies, minds and spirits. She appreciated lively music with percussion and often demonstrated the fun side within her, dancing or cooking to music, including Jazz, especially Sergio Mendes & Brazil 66. Wherever she went, she made friends easily and was a bright light in the room.

She enjoyed holiday traditions and sought to make them merry and memorable through thoughtful cooking and decorations. Her kids still cherish and replicate some of her cookie recipes and traditions today.

Carolyn was also a devoted pet lover and rescuer, providing care and comfort to numerous dogs, cats and even birds throughout her life.

Funeral arrangements have been made which will be taking place at two locations in Michigan. A funeral mass will take place Friday, June 2nd at 4 p.m. at Christ the King Catholic Church in Howard City. This will be followed by a burial service Saturday, June 3rd at 12 noon at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Detroit, where her first love, father of her four children, and husband John is laid to rest along with her two parents.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the American Heart Association (https://www.heart.org/en/) , the Disabled American Veterans (https://www.dav.org ), and the Dementia Society of America (https://www.dementiasociety.org/)

Family and friends are welcome to submit online condolences at www.mundenfuneralhome.net

Arrangements by Munden Funeral Home & Crematory in Morehead City, NC.