53
Carolyn Joyce Haraway Stephens, age 73, of Huntsville, AL, passed away Saturday, June 20, 2020. She is survived by her stepson, James Paul Stephens (Julie); two sisters: Roberta Mann (David) and her children, Patrick Mann and Jessica Jamieson; and Arlene Elrod (David) and her sons, Trent and Will Childers; four grandchildren James Paul (J.P.) Stephens Jr., Julian Thomas Stephens, Mary Margaret Stephens, and Nealson Joseph Stephens; and a host of other relatives and many friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, James Neal Stephens and her parents Moses Newton Haraway, and Rubye Smith Haraway.
Mrs. Stephens was born in Florence Alabama on December 14, 1946 and was raised in the community of Toonersville, AL, near Rogersville. She graduated from Lauderdale County High School, and earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of North Alabama in education and master’s degree from Alabama A&M in counseling. She retired from the Alabama Public Education System, where she served as a guidance counselor at both Sparkman and Bob Jones High Schools.
After retirement, she and her husband spent their later years in Huntsville, where they were charter members of Providence Baptist Church. There, they exercised their God-given talents extensively and she regularly opened her home to show hospitality to prospective and regular members. In their spare time, she enjoyed traveling with Neal across the Continental United States and into Canada. She particularly enjoyed the time she was able to spend in Alaska. She also published and sold a cookbook of some of her favorite recipes, and donated the profits to fund research into Parkinson’s Disease, which she was diagnosed of in 2008.
A private graveside service will be held on Thursday, June 25, at Providence Baptist Church, followed by a Memorial Service at 12:00 in the Providence Baptist Church sanctuary for friends and family, officiated by Dr. Blair Waddell and Rev. Brian Milby.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the Providence Baptist Church Building Fund.
