Carolyn Mobley Newell
November 13, 1940 – December 21, 2022
On Wednesday, December 21, 2022, Carolyn Mobley Newell, loving sister, mother, and grandmother, passed away at her home in Canton, Georgia, at the age of eighty-two. Born November 13th, 1940, to parents Graham and Roberta Mobley, Carolyn was the oldest of four siblings from Whigham, Georgia. She spent her early years on the family farm, singing in the community church, and attending a small, rural schoolhouse nearby. A graduate of Whigham High School, she was a sideline cheerleader for basketball and remained close to her group of friends throughout her life, often returning home for high school reunions and celebrations.
Earning her Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Georgia Southern University, she devoted her career to the Duval County School System in Jacksonville, Florida, where she was a business education teacher at Englewood High School, The Bolles School, and Ribault High School. Always professionally dressed in skirts and heels, she held high expectations of her students and the quality of their work as she imparted and modeled the importance of one’s public image. Her students remember her with fondness and have thanked her over the years for the life skills which she taught them.
Shortly after moving to Jacksonville, she met her future husband of 27 years, Nick Newell, an electrical engineer and consultant with Southern Bell. They married in 1965. Life with Nick was filled with adventures and extensive travel in their motorhomes or Cessna seaplanes. They hosted grand parties at their riverside home where she perfected her love of entertaining for their friends and family. Best known for their annual New Year’s Eve Pig Roast, she always loved decorating and preparing their home for the holidays. Her “Southern Living Christmas Tree” became one of her signature achievements year after year. This year, she simply outdid herself with a 12-foot beauty.
In her 50’s, Carolyn found a new love in ballroom dancing. She had successfully raised her two children and had recently become divorced. Dancing was the perfect outlet for this glamorous lady. Wearing elegant dresses with feathers and rhinestones, she loved flowing and gliding across the floor as a perfect way to showcase her beauty and poise. It was a true passion for her, and she made many great friends and won countless awards during those years.
Carolyn was a woman of strong faith, raising her children as active members of Jacksonville’s Episcopal Church of Our Savior on the St. Johns River. She sang for many years in the choir, was a member of the Women of the Church, served on the Vestry, taught VBS, and attended Women’s Cursillo. In addition to her church service, she supported the Mandarin community events such as the annual art festival.
Her greatest achievement was her love for her family. Her parents, siblings, and cousins celebrated large family get togethers throughout her life. Carolyn decided to retire and leave Jacksonville after forty years to help in the care for her youngest sister, Sharon, during her battle with cancer. She moved with her daughter, Kelly, to Woodstock, Georgia, and then later to Canton, Georgia. She maintained close relations and weekly phone visits with her younger brother, Don, and her sister, Becky, until her passing in 2015. One of her favorite memories was of the four siblings around the piano at the family farm singing old gospel hymns with their parents and grandmother, Blanche.
For her, the greatest gifts were her children and grandchild. Her first experience at motherhood was with her stepson, Gary, and she became “MiMi” to his wife, Verdery, and their two beautiful children, Emily and Cameron. There are many fun times they had together, especially visiting at home on the river.
Her son, Scot, is her beloved firstborn of whom she was so incredibly proud. She faithfully followed his adventures and achievements that carried him from New York City to Cape Cod to Ft. Lauderdale and lastly to the Caribbean. She so dreamed of visiting him there, but her health had started to decline limiting her travel. He is gifted with her ability to host the most amazing events with style and flair. She loved and looked forward to her phone visits with him detailing all of his comings and goings. On his visits home, they enjoyed his cooking or fun dinners exploring local restaurants and wineries.
Her daughter, Kelly, was her companion, and they relied on each other for most everything, sharing a very special mother/daughter bond and friendship. While living with Kelly and her family for the last eighteen years, she enjoyed sharing meals, playing games, watching movies, celebrating the holidays, and partaking in all of the gatherings of friends and family.
One of Carolyn’s most cherished rewards was the wonderful opportunity to spend every day with her biggest love, grandson Graham. He was the apple of her eye, and she looked forward to every aspect of participating in his upbringing. Carolyn was his “NeNe” and daily caregiver once Kelly returned to work. She never missed a single event and was always willing to be there for him if Kelly had business commitments. Even as she slowed down, she would muster the energy to “put on her face” to drive to the school or bus stop for pick up. She made sure to pass along all she could to teach Graham to be a proper, young gentleman. And of course, she succeeded.
Carolyn is described by many as a classy, southern lady. She had a dry wit, loved to laugh, sing, dance, read, dress up, shop, entertain, travel, and watch movies. For decades, Carolyn enjoyed listening to gospel music, especially the Gaither concerts. She spent her final hours listening to Christmas music, addressing Christmas cards, and playing solitaire on her PC – she said it kept her mind sharp. She had a sweet group of friends with whom she played Mahjong weekly, where there will now be an empty chair. She loved to eat lunch at the Frosty Frog or head up to the country club with Kelly, Jim, and Graham. Anytime she could eat fried catfish and fried oysters, she was in heaven.
Carolyn is preceded in death by her parents, Graham and Roberta Mobley, as well as sisters, Sharon Skelton and Rebecca “Becky” Brock. She is survived by her children, Scot Newell of St. Croix; Kelly Newell Bauch (Jim) of Canton, Georgia, and grandson, Graham; brother, Dr. Don Mobley of Whigham, Georgia; brother-in-law, Ervin Brock of Thomasville, Georgia; stepson, Gary Newell (Verdery) of Smyrna, Georgia, Emily Newell and Cameron Newell (Debbie) and their two children Matthew and Mia.
Her funeral service will be at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, December 29, 2022, at the Cairo First United Methodist Church located at 318 South Broad Street, Cairo, GA 39828. Family and friends may be received at 10 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall with the service to follow at 11 a.m. in the Sanctuary. The committal graveside service will be in the Mobley family lot at Woodlawn Cemetery in Whigham, Georgia.
There will be a Celebration of Life for her at home in Canton, Georgia, on Saturday, January 21, at 6 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to a charity of one’s choice.
