Carolyn Boineau Josey Benton went to be with her Lord on Friday, June 3, 2016.
Your Mother is always with you. She’s the whisper of the leaves as you walk
down the street. She’s the smell of certain foods you remember, flowers you
pick-the fragrance of life itself. Your Mother is the cool hand on your brow
when you’re not feeling well. She is your breath in the air on a cold winter’s
day. She is the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep. She is the colors of
a rainbow. She is Christmas morning.
Your Mother lives inside your laughter, and she is crystallized in your every
tear drop. She’s the place you came from, your first home, and she’s the map
you follow with every step you take. She’s your first love, and your first
friend. Nothing on earth can separate you. Not time, not space…..not even
death!
Born February 5, 1927 in Orangeburg, South Carolina, she was the daughter of
Margaret Caroline Boineau Josey and Hubert Laurie Josey. She attended Columbia
College which was originally called Columbia Female College. Hence, when she
met her husband, he nicknamed it “The Hen House”. She was married to the late
Joseph Benton for 40 years until his death in 1986.
Carolyn was a sweet and reserved lady with a charming manner. She had a great
love for song, dance and laughter, and we will cherish the memories of her
earlier years, as she harmonized with her church trio. She will also, without a
doubt, be remembered for her sense of fashion and impeccable style.
She was the beloved Mother of three children, Margaret Almeida (E.M. Almeida,
III (Butch), Kathy Benton Heilman, Joseph David Benton (Patricia C. Benton).
She was the Grandmother to five grandchildren, Caroline A. Couture (Alex),
Joseph D. Benton, Jr. (Julie), Justin H. Benton (Rachel), S. Kenneth Varnadoe
(Cindy), and G. Vaughan Mangum (Emily). Carolyn is also survived by nine
great-grandchildren; her brother, Hubert L. Josey, Jr. (Berta), and her
lifelong and dearest friend, Annie Grimes of Charleston, South Carolina who was
like a second Mother to her children.
Thank you Mama, Nanny, Carolyn, and “Girlfriend” (as she was called by all of
her granddaughter’s friends) for the everlasting love, joy, and fun you brought
to our lives. You have left us with amazing memories.
Special thanks to Gina Bennett for her love, devotion, friendship, and special
care. May God Bless You!
A private celebration of her life will be held in Charleston, South Carolina.
Richmond Hill Funeral Home