Carol Winchester

Carol Webb Winchester, 87, of Waynesville passed away peacefully on Monday, April 24, 2023, with her son and daughter by her side.  Carol had many health challenges in her life, and she always faced them with courage and perseverance.  The next-to-youngest of nine siblings, Carol was born on March 29, 1936, in Madison County.  The family moved to Haywood County when Carol was only 6 years old, and she made her home there for the remainder of her life.  She retired from the Haywood County Health Department, in the WIC program, in June, 2005.  She was a member of the Haywood County Community Chorus for many years.

Carol will be remembered for her faithful service to her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  In local churches, she sang, led children’s choirs, and taught children in Sunday School and Vacation Bible School.  She played the organ for nearly seven decades, most recently at Shady Grove United Methodist Church.  Over the years, she blessed many lives by playing for weddings and funerals.

Carol was voted the female best personality in her high school class, and this proved to be a predictor of how well she would be liked for the rest of her life.  Carol was known to be friendly and easy to talk to and had an infectious laugh.  Her likeability sometimes paid off in unexpected ways, such as the time she went to the airport to catch a flight without her identification.  Before the transaction at the ticket counter was over, the ticket agent had not only given Carol her boarding pass, but also bumped her into first class for free.

Carol will be remembered by her family as a faithful wife to her husband of 49 years, Ralph Benjamin Winchester, who died in 2004.  Her devotion to Ben as he struggled, and eventually succumbed, to a long illness, serves as a testimony of the love of a caring and compassionate wife.  Her family is eternally grateful for the love and care she demonstrated daily to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.  Always supportive, she encouraged them to live their lives trusting in the Lord and working hard to follow their dreams.  On Thanksgiving Day and at Christmas, her homemade rolls, sweet potato casserole, baked ham, and fried chicken were not to be missed.

In addition to her husband, Carol was preceded in death by her parents, Monroe Clarence and Bertha Plemmons Webb; four adult brothers, James, Neal, Leon, and MC Webb, and an infant brother, Robert Bennett Webb; and two sisters, Maggie and Paralee Webb.  She is survived by her daughter, Kathy (Gary) Glass of Candler, her son, Michael (Nancy) Winchester of Mount Airy, MD, four grandchildren, Jeremy (Annie) Glass of Austin, TX, Sheila (William) Moore of Asheville, Bethanie (Tanner) Shepherd of Rock Hill, SC, and Molly Winchester of Wilmington, NC, and two great-grandchildren, Hudson Benjamin Glass and Emma Evangeline Glass.  She is also survived by her brother, Francis (Janet) Webb, and many nieces and nephews.

The funeral will take place at Wells Funeral Home in Waynesville on Sunday, April 30, at 3:00 PM with the Rev. William Moore officiating.  Burial will be in Greenhill Cemetery, with a graveside service immediately following the funeral.  The family will receive friends at Wells Funeral Home in Waynesville from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM Saturday evening.

The family wishes to express their gratitude for the excellent loving care provided to Carol by WNC Thrivemore (Baptist Home) and for the compassionate palliative and hospice care provided by Four Seasons in Asheville.

The care of Mrs. Winchester has been entrusted to Wells Funeral Homes of Waynesville.