Carolyn "Bay" Odell (Williams) Smith

Mother Carolyn Odell Smith, 73, of Farmville, NC, passed away on Saturday, February 8, 2025,at her home.

The Life and Legacy of Mother Carolyn Smith   

Carolyn Odell Williams Smith was born in Edgecombe County on June 18, 1951, to the late Richard Earl Williams and Mary Redmond Williams.  She transitioned from this earthly life to her heavenly home on February 8, 2025, at the age of 73.

Bay, as she was affectionally called, attended and graduated from George Washington Carver School in Pinetops, NC in June 1969.  After graduating from high school, she worked at a phone company in Rocky Mount and eventually moved to Washington DC.  After being in DC for a while she moved back home.  She worked several jobs and ended up working at Alliance One in Farmville NC as a lab technician for 30 plus years before she retired.  After retirement, she became the community unofficial taxi, taking people to doctor’s offices, work, grocery stores and anywhere else they needed to go.  They just called “Ms. Carolyn, can you take me…”

Carolyn has given her life to Christ and was totally sold out.  She was a member of Mount Moriah Community Church and dearly loved her church, and loved to talk about her church, her Pastor, the Mother Board and the children.  She was a mother of the church, also sung in the choir and was a member of the usher board. Bay took so much pride of her work in the church, from making sure the communion table was laid out perfectly (and you better not touch it) to tending the flower beds at the church and prepareing snack bags for the children to receive after Children’s Church.  She will surely be missed.  She also worked diligently with the food bank and the soup kitchen.

In addition to her parents, Carolyn was preceded in death by four brothers, Marvin Williams, Gregory Williams, Richard Sharpe, James Earl Sharpe and two sisters Shelia Jenkins and Elsie Jean Cotton. 

She leaves to cherish her memories, her husband and love of her life for 31 years, Linwood Smith of the home; son, Joshua Forbes of Greenville, NC ; nieces and nephews (who she called her children) Tiny, Melvin, Dominique, Javaar, Pinky, Frankie, Richard, Tammy, and Victoria; two sisters, Frances Richards of Durham, NC and Mary Epps (Larry) of Wilson, NC; two brothers, Clarence Davis of Washington DC and Philip Morris Wiggins (Millie) of Silver Springs, Maryland; five sisters-in law, Glenda Bullock (Otis) of Farmville, NC, Janice Smith of Farmville. NC, Dixie Williams of Durham, NC, Mattie Sharpe of Pinetops, NC, and Kimberly Smith of Farmville, NC; two brothers-in-law, Robert Smith (Beulah) and Milton Smith (Julia) all of Farmville, NC; special friends, Karen Jefferson and Evangeline Tyson, and many others; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Heavenly Arms Family Mortuary & Cremation Services, 8482 E. Marlboro Rd. Suite G Farmville, NC 27828

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