Oletha A. Carnett was born on March 13, 1934, to Lonzie and Mary Eva Atkins. One of six daughters, she grew up in Lyons, Georgia. After graduating from high school, she moved to Jacksonville, Florida, went to business school, and began working at Gulf Life Insurance Company, where she met her husband, Frank. They were married in 1959 and shared 57 years together until Frank’s passing.

Every summer from 1967 until the early 1980s, the Carnett family vacationed at Holly Cove Campground in Whittier, North Carolina. When the campground was eventually sold and converted into an RV park, many of the families who had camped together purchased land nearby. After Frank retired, the Carnetts did the same, building a home close to many of their camping friends.

Oletha and Frank spent many wonderful years in North Carolina, enjoying hiking, white-water rafting, square dancing, sightseeing (especially along the Blue Ridge Parkway), and hosting out-of-town family for visits. She also loved shopping at her favorite store, Krismart.

Oletha and Frank were active members of Calvary Road Baptist Church, where she sang in the choir and taught a women’s Sunday School class. Her greatest joy of all was Jesus. She loved Him fiercely, studied her Bible, and lived to serve Him.

Oletha was an excellent seamstress and cook. She always had a pot of boiled peanuts ready for her children and grandchildren when they visited. She also loved Dollywood and held a season pass for many years. She loved basketball (Dallas Mavericks), baseball (Atlanta Braves), and college football (Go Gators!).

She loved her family with all her heart.

She is survived by her two daughters, Kelley (Bill) and Linda (Roger); her grandchildren, Taylor (Emily), Amanda, Keith (Chelsea), and Kaci (Daniel); and her great-grandchildren, Cooper, Bailey, Emma, Leotie, and Nash.

A funeral service will be held at Wells Funeral Home of Waynesville on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at 11:00 AM.  Visitation with the family will be held one hour prior to the service.  A private interment will take place at Green Hill Cemetery.  

The care of Ms. Carnett has been entrusted to Wells Funeral Home of Waynesville.