Carolyn Stuart Graves

After 99 and a half remarkable years, Carolyn Stuart Graves entered her eternal heavenly home on August 3, 2026. She will be remembered as someone who was quick with a smile or a joke, told great stories, and was full of life and energy, never missing an opportunity to go on a new adventure. Carolyn was fondly known as a devoted daughter, wife, sister, mother and grandmother.

Carolyn was born in Covington County, MS on December 6,1926 to Myrna Allbritton Robinson and George Baxter Robinson. The oldest of three girls, Carolyn and her sisters were very close in age and always the closest of friends and remained that way forever. She was a 1948 Summa Cum Laude graduate of Mississippi State College for Women (The W), receiving a degree in Home Economics. Carolyn’s first job was as the Home Economist in Lafayette County, MS. She taught Home Economics at various Mississippi schools and later received a Master’s in Education from Mississippi State University. With the additional degree, she taught elementary school and eventually became the elementary Principal at Raleigh in 1964. Countless students and parents were blessed by Mrs. Stuart’s decades as Principal there. She also taught piano and voice lessons from her home to many, many children and adults in Raleigh. Generations in the area loved and admired Carolyn for her devotion and talent as a teacher, and as an administrator, and for her sweet spirit.

Coming from a strong musical family, Carolyn played piano for school programs, for church, and for enjoyment. Her other great love was working with plants and flowers. She could grow anything. Flowers, fruit trees, shrubs and vines all flourished under her care for seven decades. However, faith and family were the hallmarks of Carolyn’s life. Through good times and bad, she held tightly to her savior Jesus. She loved the Scriptures and the way music tuned her soul to praise, comfort, and worship.

Carolyn met her future husband when he literally knocked her off her feet. She was entering the room for a BSU meeting at Mississippi State when a handsome young man, Prentice Stuart, came running out of the room right into Carolyn, knocking her to the floor. With an apology, he graciously helped her up and then asked for a date. They were married on November 5,1948 and spent 58 years building a wonderful life together and raising three children in Raleigh. After the death of Prentice, Carolyn found love again with a man who was already a friend, Gilbert Hayes Graves. They married in 2007. The couple enjoyed church, lots of family, traveling and each other for seven years.

Carolyn and both her husbands were active members of their local churches, Goodwater Baptist, White Oak Baptist, and for most of her life at First Baptist Raleigh, where she played piano and directed choir, taught women’s Sunday school and helped plan and put on VBS for many years. When she and Prentice moved to Brandon, their church home was Brandon Baptist. Seeking a smaller place to worship, she and Hayes joined Meadow Grove Baptist. After the death of her second husband Hayes, Carolyn moved to Madison to live with her son Jim and his family. She jumped right in and was a regular at Broadmoor Baptist Sunday school and worship, where she and some other retired ladies regularly assisted the office staff on Friday mornings for several years. Her 90th birthday party was celebrated in the beautiful parlor at Broadmoor with family and friends.

Carolyn is survived by sister Hazel Robinson Dunnam of Madison, son George Stuart (Linda) and preceded by former wife (Cheryl) of Raleigh, son Jim Stuart (Faith) of Madison, and grandchildren Tracy Stuart Troth of Pearl, William (Bill) Stuart (Greshka) of Smith County, Rosalyn Horn Lee (Joseph) of Highpoint, North Carolina, and Matthew Stuart (Caroline) of Birmingham, Alabama. She has 11 great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren and numerous beloved nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews and great-great nieces and nephews. Family was very dear to Carolyn, and she considered her large family a great blessing.

She is preceded in death by her husband John Prentice Stuart and husband Gilbert Hayes Graves, sister Dorothy Ann “Dot” Robinson Tramel, brother-in-law Sammy J. Tramel, brother-in-law John M. Dunnam Jr., daughter Deborah Stuart Horn, son-in-law William Grady “Bill” Horn, daughter-in-law Cheryl Stuart, and grandson-in-law Daryl Troth.

Visitation will be Friday, August 7 from 5:00 to 6:30 at Ott and Lee funeral home in Brandon. A visitation at Goodwater Baptist Church in Smith County will begin at 1:00 on Saturday, August 8 followed by a Celebration of Life at 2:00. Interment will be at the Goodwater Cemetery.

The family wishes to express the deepest appreciation to St. Catherine’s Village Marion Hall and Tuscany Hall nurses and staff. Carolyn was greatly loved by all there, thriving as a resident because of all the amazing care and attention given to her. The family also appreciates the outstanding care provided by Gentiva Hospice over the last few months.