After 98 full and productive, happy years, Riley W. Carroll, went home to be with the Lord on Friday, June 16, 2023.
Riley Mae Wynne was the third of four children born to the Rev. T.R. and Pearl (Johnson) Wynne in Metter, Georgia on October 24, 1924. As a “PK” (Preacher’s Kid) she loved to accompany her parents as they ministered to various small Baptist churches each week in southeast Georgia during her middle and high school years.
While attending Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, Riley applied herself fully to academic and social activities on campus and in the community with her sorority, Chi Omega. After she graduated in June 1947 with a degree in English, she married her college sweetheart, James Wallace “Wally” Carroll, on June 12, 1948, at Bull Street Baptist Church in Savannah, Georgia. Their first child was born in late 1950 in South Carolina where Wally worked was a sportswriter for the Spartanburg Herald. A new job opportunity took them to Nashville, TN where they welcomed the birth of their second child in 1953. Finally, they moved to the small but growing north Alabama town of Huntsville where Wally began his career as a Technical Writer with Brown Engineering in support of subcontracts for NASA. There they welcomed their last two children in 1956 and 1962. To help support the growing family, Riley took a “temporary” teaching assignment with the Huntsville City School System in late 1964. But two years later, in November 1966, her employment there took on new importance as she became the sole breadwinner upon Wally’s unexpected death at the age of 41. For the next 23 years, “Ms. Riley” taught children at the elementary, middle, and high school levels.
Following her retirement and for as long as her health would permit, Riley emersed herself in weekly activities at First Baptist Church in Huntsville. Her great joy was music and she participated for many years as a choir member, soloist, and in FBC’s famous annual “Living Christmas Tree” events. She also traveled to numerous local and regional events, as well an overseas trip to Switzerland to perform for the Baptist World Congress.
Riley is survived by her four children: Mark Carroll (Janice), Gini Jones (Tom), Roy Carroll, and Ann Welzyn (Ken); six grandchildren: Brent Jones (Kelly), Anna Voss (Josh), Shelley Johnson (Mark), Erin Agostini (Paul), Hannah Welzyn, Philip Welzyn; eleven great grandchildren: Amelia Jones, Stratton Jones, Thatcher Jones, Ansley Voss, Avery Voss, Brandon Voss, Arden Voss, David Johnson, Michael Johnson, Lydia Agostini, Anne Agostini; and many nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life Service will be conducted for Riley at her beloved First Baptist Church in Huntsville at a forthcoming date to be determined. Spry Funeral Home in Huntsville will coordinate her internment burial beside her husband, Wally, at Maple Hill Cemetery.
“To God be the glory, great things He has done!”
