Carolyn (Faglie) Turner

Mrs. Carolyn Faglie Turner received her heavenly reward on November 23, 2023.

Throughout Thanksgiving Day afternoon, she delighted in watching the preparations and sharing a meal with her four daughters, their families, and friends at Lazy Hound Farm. She was called to the arms of Jesus while preparing to return to NHC, North Augusta, where she had recently resided with her husband, Johnny. Six months prior to his passing in June, Carolyn and Johnny celebrated 65 years of marriage.

Carolyn was born on October 8, 1939 in Augusta, GA to Nora Gillion Faglie Purvis and Buford Gilmore Faglie. She spent her youth as a pianist at Curtis Baptist Church. Active in Rainbow Girls, she enjoyed all things literature, art, and music! At North Augusta High, she was a member of the Beta Club and writer/editor for the newspaper and yearbook. She and her sister, Glenda Joyce Faglie Cook, spent countless hours of their youth chasing chickens, sewing, and giggling together in Edgefield and North Augusta. Carolyn pursued a degree in journalism at Augusta College prior to meeting the love of her life who was leading singing with a church fellowship group. The year following their marriage in December of 1957, the couple moved to Tehran, Iran for Johnny's textile career, seeing the sights in Europe and the Middle East, including the Holy Land. In the summer of 1960, Carolyn returned to Augusta, GA for the birth of their first daughter. Johnny's work then took them to Union, SC where they celebrated the births of three more girls. They joined Grace United Methodist Church to serve the Lord and their community. While at Grace, Carolyn sang in the church choir, led youth variety programs, and was a member of the Clyburn-Whitener Sunday School Class. She was also involved in the Junior League and both Johnny and she served as UMYF leaders. Carolyn was a beloved local musician with a passion for teaching and playing the piano. With four daughters running around, she taught students out of her home — many received superior ratings in Junior Festivals and went on to pursue music degrees in college.

After moving to Spartanburg in 1974, she became a faculty member of the Converse College Pre-College Division and taught piano there for over 40 years. Her daughters fondly recall her organizing an epic piano marathon to raise money for a grand piano for the newly renovated Twichell Auditorium. At Trinity United Methodist Church, she was a children's choir director and accompanied instrumental musicians, leading youth groups to attend music festivals at Lake Junaluska with her daughters. She was an officer in both the Union Music Club and SC Federation of Music Clubs and an active member of the Spartanburg Music Club for many years. With their four daughters graduated, the couple moved back to Union where Carolyn became the Director of Ministries at Grace United Methodist Church. Throughout her years serving at Grace, she led trips for youth and seniors, directed children's choirs, and rarely missed a Sunday lifting her voice in the church choir. Johnny and she spent many summers planning the site work, housing, and activities for the SC Salkehatchie Summer Services in Union County. The couple moved to Aiken's Cumberland Village in 2018, happy to live closer to family. They made new friends, watched Clemson football games, and lived an active life for several years. For the past year, Johnny and Carolyn have lived at National Health Care of North Augusta, where they celebrated Johnny's 90th birthday!

Carolyn is survived by her daughters and their spouses, Terri Ellis, Linda Serkiz (Steve), Beth Pierpont (Chris) and Allison Williams (Wendell). She is additionally survived by her grandchildren; Sarah Ellis (Brad Putz), Daniel Ellis, Max Serkiz, Jack Serkiz, Jordan Pierpont Snead (Matt), Cameron Pierpont, and step-grandchildren, Samantha and Brad Williams. She is additionally survived by her great grandson, John Michael Snead, step great-grandchildren, Ayden and Skylar Siegfried and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased in death by her husband, Lewis Johnson Turner, Jr., her mother, Nora G. Faglie Purvis, her father, Buford G. Faglie, her stepfather John W. Purvis, her sister, Glenda J. Cook, and her son-in-law, Barry L. Ellis. In a mini-memoir Carolyn wrote, "By nature, I am a planner, but my plans never included what actually happened. My destiny was molded by someone above who knew exactly what I needed to become who I am."

A service to celebrate her life will be held on, Monday, November 27th at 2:00 pm in the sanctuary of Grace United Methodist Church in Union, SC with burial in the cemetery to follow. Visitation with the family will be in the church from 12:30 until the start of the service and following the burial. The family requests that memorials be sent to the music ministry at Grace United Methodist Church, 201 S. Church Street, Union, SC 29379.

The S.R. Holcombe Funeral Home, Inc.            (www.holcombefuneralhomes.com)