Carolyn Coe McGregor, also known as Bamma, 83 of Madison, Alabama passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by her four daughters and their families.
She was born November 28, 1938, in Hartford, Alabama to Grady Coe and Artie Mae Bottoms Coe. Carolyn graduated from Geneva County High in Hartford, Alabama in 1957 and has maintained many special friendships from her childhood. She attended Auburn University before she married the love of her life, Phillip Warner McGregor, in March 1959 and moved to Huntsville that same year. They relocated to Madison in 1963, where they proudly raised their four daughters and were happily married for 41 years until his untimely passing. Carolyn loved traveling with Phil for work, particularly Yuma, Arizona which became a special place for them.
As a loving wife, mother, Bamma, sister, and friend, Carolyn led by example- living faithfully and showing love to everyone who walked into her life. Carolyn was a longtime member and servant at First Baptist Church Madison. She rarely missed a Sunday whether she was attending in person or watching the live service. She loved being able to sponsor a little boy, Nashon, from Tanzania since 2018 and share stories about her family with him.
Carolyn’s proudest accomplishment is her family. She felt blessed to be a stay-at-home mom for her four daughters. She loved that the McGregor home was the neighborhood hangout for friends of their daughters. Throughout the girls’ years at Bob Jones High School, she enjoyed volunteering with the band boosters and PTA. She and Phil were also very supportive of the football program and made life-long friendships with many coaches and their families through the years.
Following Phil’s death, Carolyn found a new hobby with exercise when she joined Curves, but more importantly had a circle of friends called “the Curves Bunch” and enjoyed their lunch dates. Carolyn adored sewing for her family but loved cooking for them even more. In between spoiling her loved ones, Carolyn would spend her quiet time putting her thoughts to paper or most likely with a good book as she always had one on hand. When she wasn’t reading, she could be found outside. One look at Carolyn’s yard makes her undeniable love of gardening and fondness for flowers obvious. She faithfully wore orange and blue and cheered on all Auburn sports teams. Carolyn loved her daughters, sons-in-law, grandchildren, and great granddaughter and deeply cherished every second she spent with them. As the matriarch of her family, she brought everyone together to share a fun-filled week at the beach for over 20 years where priceless memories were made.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Artie Mae Bottoms and Grady Coe, her loving husband, Phillip Warner McGregor, and her sister, Betty Jean Coe. She is survived by her four daughters, the loves of her life and her pride and joys, her grandchildren and great-granddaughter, Dawn McGregor Beck (Bob) of Madison, AL, Carla McGregor Darby (Andrew) and their sons, James McGregor Darby (Sarah) and great-granddaughter, Arya Jane Darby, Phillip Andrew Darby (Sarah), William Coe Darby of Prattville, AL, Paula McGregor Monte (John) and their sons, Michael Salvador Monte, Phillip Gaeton Monte, John McGregor Monte of Lakeland, FL, and Carolyn McGregor Bryan, and her daughters, Hannah Marie Bryan and Sarah Michelle Bryan of Madison, AL.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, August 31 at 10 a.m. in the First Baptist Church Madison sanctuary, with a funeral service following at 11a.m. A graveside service will follow at Madison City Cemetery. Pallbearers are Bob Beck, Andrew Darby, John Monte, Phillip Darby, Gaeton Monte, Will Darby, and Jack Monte. Honorary pallbearers are McGregor Darby and Michael Monte.
Memorial donations may be made to First Baptist Church Madison, 4257 Sullivan St., Madison, AL 35758.
