Carolyn McCullough Strader, wife of the late Reverend Harold Strader, died on December 8, 2018, in the Givens Health Center in Asheville, NC, at age 91. Carolyn was born on December 3, 1927 to Marwin Leroy and Carrie Watson McCullough, and grew up in Columbia, SC. She is predeceased by her parents; her husband, Harold and brothers, Earle and Laurie.
She was formerly head librarian of the Hudson Library, Highlands, NC, having served in other positions in four Fontana Regional Libraries. She continued her love of the library by volunteering there for many years following her retirement in 1994. “She is a natural librarian and is excellent at helping people with reference questions,” said Cynthia Modlin, Macon Countyʼs head librarian, when Carolyn was named to the Hudson Library post.
Degrees from the University of South Carolina and Emoryʼs Candler School of Theology enabled her to pursue many careers including elementary and GED classrooms, but chief among them was raising four children and serving as the minister’s wife, as well as being an active member of the United Methodist Women and choirs at Western NC Methodist Churches in Asheville, Maiden, Whitnel, Pineville, Shelby, Monroe, Dallas, Bryson City, and Franklin. She donated more than 75 units of blood through the American Red Cross and was recognized as a Macon County Star Democrat (2002) for her civic contributions. In her WNC Conference community she may have been best known for dozens of columns (“By the Books”) for the North Carolina Christian Advocate in which she explored the UMC position on topics like racism, environmental stewardship, and the right to die.
If she wasnʼt preparing to lead a Sunday School discussion, she might have been at work with the Worship Committee, volunteering in the First Franklin UMC office, writing articles for the church newsletter, doing needlepoint, or picking blackberries for a pie. In her WNC community she was often at Haroldʼs side as they kept finding ways to help, whether seeking to build racial unity, confronting AIDS, or advocating for a new library and the Franklin Greenway. She enjoyed walking the Greenway regularly after the north facing slope of their beloved Roper Knob home place became too steep.
She also wrote a regular newspaper column about the Hudson Library. At Givens, she enjoyed church services, especially the hymns. She once wrote, in “By the Books” that the hymnal was one of those books in her own life.
She looked forward to the daily Asheville Citizen-Times, puzzles, and her lifelong weekly shampoo-and-set. Most of all she missed Harold, to whom she was married for 62 years. She is survived by four children: David and wife Shelley of Clayton, NC; Phil and wife Sandy of Sisters, OR; Russell and wife Toni of Boise, ID; and Lynn and husband Paul of Chapel Hill, NC.
She is also survived by her niece Elizabeth McCullough Ayers and husband Steve of Stamford, CT and nephew Bob McCullough and wife Ruth of Montpelier, VT; thirteen grandchildren; James Williamson, Joni Williamson, Rachel Strader, Mark Strader, Maryn Hilken, Austin Strader, Carter Strader, Jessica Strader, Stephen Strader, Daniel Strader, Abigail Strader, Kayla Strader, and Hannah Strader; twelve great grandchildren; Jhadeci Williamson, Akhaiya Williamson, Khalik Williamson, JamiʼEl Williamson, Zayir Williamson, Zaria Williamson, Satiya Williamson, Cheyenne Strader, Samuel Hilken, Leila Hilken, August Strader and Emery Jane Strader and a brother-in-law, Haroldʼs brother, Bill Strader who lives in Reidsville, NC. A memorial service will be held in the Norma F. Pulliam Chapel in Asbury Commons at Givens Estates, Asheville, NC on Saturday, December 15 at 11 AM. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Mainspring Conservation Trust, P.O. Box 1148 Franklin, NC 28744 or Fontana Regional Libraries, 33 Fryemont Street, Bryson City, NC 28713.
Join our family in expressing deep gratefulness for the warmth and excellence of care for our elders with a gift to the Givens Estates Resident Council Staff Appreciation Fund, 2360 Sweeten Creek Road, Asheville, NC 28803.
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