Carolyn Shinn

Carolyn Avera Scarborough Shinn, a lifelong advocate for the underserved, passed away on December 23, 2023 at 100 years old.

She was predeceased by her parents, PH Scarborough and Lucy Garmon Scarborough; her beloved husband Kenneth Shinn, Jr.; three brothers, Martin Jackson, Robert Edsall, and PH Jr.; and her son, Martin Kenneth Shinn. Carolyn is survived by her daughters, Lucy Carolyn Shinn of Concord, NC; Amy Shinn McAvoy (Brian) of Lynchburg, VA; granddaughter, Kate Luxton (Jason) of Richmond, VA; grandson, Kevin Reaves (Jessica) of Richmond, VA; step-granddaughter, Laura McAvoy of Newport News, VA; and great-grandchildren, Emmeline Reaves, Harrison Reaves, and Annie Luxton.

Shortly after her birth in her family's Concord home on July 14,1923, Carolyn had difficulty breathing. With the help of her great aunt, she coughed up the obstruction blocking her airway, only minutes into her new life. The family knew then that Carolyn would live to face any obstacles in her way!

The daughter of a school teacher, Carolyn was introduced to reading at a very early age and became a lifelong, voracious reader. As a child, she would often stay up late reading in bed under the covers, and was so advanced at reading she skipped the second grade. Carolyn's late night reading habits would continue throughout her life.

She was a lifelong learner and remained curious. She took notes on her church bulletins during sermons, wrote all over programs at events she attended, and was the first to raise her hand for Q&A. She was interested in her family's history and a proud member of Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), through her great-great grandfather Charles Harris Polk, brother of President James K. Polk.

Carolyn experienced tragedy early in life. Two of her brothers drowned in a boating accident at a family picnic when she was just 10 years old. Some years later, her oldest brother died in World War II while on a Japanese prisoner of war ship. Those losses shaped her in ways we will never understand, though they likely motivated her to be a passionate advocate for change.

A graduate of UNC Greensboro (then called Women’s College of Greensboro), Carolyn majored in Sociology. She was one of few women majoring in that subject in the 1940s, but it was a perfect fit with her love of people and intrinsic need to help remediate social problems in the world.

She met her husband, Kenneth, on a blind double date. The friend who arranged it was short and Carolyn was tall, so it was decided beforehand that Carolyn would latch onto the taller guy! The couple clicked from the start. Carolyn thought Kenneth was the kindest, biggest-hearted man she had ever known and declared he treated her like a queen. They were married for 57 glorious years until Kenneth's death in 2000.

Carolyn worked as a Census Bureau enumerator in the 60s but devoted her entire adult life to serving her community, especially marginalized groups. She was instrumental in forming Mothers And Their Children (MATCH) at Central Prison in Raleigh, a program that is still successful in bringing together incarcerated mothers and their children. She was on the Founding Board of the LIFE Center, a member of the North Carolina Council on the Status of Women, a Chairperson for Meals on Wheels, and served on the Boards of United Way and Aldersgate Retirement Community.

A faithful Methodist and active member of Central United Methodist Church for all of her adult life, Carolyn was nicknamed “Ms. Methodist” and “Queen of Missions” by her church community. She was instrumental in bringing the CROP Walk to Concord, where her church has been the state's top fundraiser in its mission to feed the hungry. She was a member of the Coltrane-Jones Circle for over 70 years and a member of the Esoteric Study Club. And, she was on just about every church committee during her lifetime, and Chairperson on most.

Outside of her local church, Carolyn was twice President of the Salisbury District of United Methodist Women. She was a Delegate at World Methodist Conferences in Hawaii and Kenya. She often talked about the honor of meeting Bishop Desmond Tutu in Kenya. She was deeply involved in conference-level church work, spending many summer weekends at Lake Junaluska.

Carolyn received many awards for her service during her lifetime: BPW Woman of the Year; Concord Lions Club, Lay Woman of the Year; Conference UMAR, Volunteer of the Year; Central UMC, Volunteer of the Year; Recipient of the “9 Who Care” Award, given by Gov. James B. Hunt for her volunteerism on behalf of North Carolina women.

Carolyn and Kenneth loved teaching their three children through travel. They attended the 1964 Worlds Fair in New York City and took trips to Washington, D.C. to meet North Carolina Congress Representatives. They vacationed at the beach every year in Pawleys Island or the Outer Banks. The family also spent much time in the NC mountains and loved having fun at Tweetsie Railroad.

For many decades up until last year, Carolyn enjoyed trips to the beach with her extended Shinn family. Carolyn loved those trips with her family so much. A highlight was parasailing one year, in her 80s!

In 2004, Carolyn was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had already planned a cruise to Italy with her children and grandchildren. She told the oncologist, "I will have to wait for treatment because I have this trip planned and I'm not going to miss it!” After a wonderful time in Europe, Carolyn was treated when she returned, and remained cancer-free.

One of Carolyn’s greatest joys was being a grandmother to Kate and Kevin. She was a fabulous Nana! She made birdhouses with Kevin and went strawberry picking with Kate. She loved reading books to them, taking them to museums and lunch at Troutman's BBQ. She made many legendary treats in her grandchildren's eyes, including her strawberry jam, lemon squares, and bread and butter pickles. She even introduced Kevin to frozen chocolate milk.

Carolyn was a proud Democrat and worked tirelessly for her party's candidates. She was an early advocate for the Equal Rights Amendment, and wrote countless letters to representatives in Congress about ERA and many other issues. She was a huge supporter of Planned Parenthood and women's rights. In the 1990s, Carolyn, Amy and Kate had a memorable trip to D.C. where they attend a pro-choice rally, holding a sign that read “3 Generations for Choice.”

Carolyn was blessed with many loving friends in her life. She enjoyed staying in touch through writing letters, late night phone calls and her extensive community involvement. She played bridge with her friends every week into her 90s.

Carolyn's family would like to thank the staff of Taylor Glen, Hospice, and her many friends for helping make her final journey a peaceful one.

The world is diminished today by the passing of Carolyn Shinn. But every time one of us stands up for civil rights, for the weak, the downtrodden and the voiceless…every time, we will be carrying on the legacy of this good woman.

A celebration of life for Carolyn will be held at 11:00am, January 13, 2024 at Central United Methodist Church, Concord, NC. She asked that anyone attending her service consider wearing something festive; or white, in honor of the Suffragettes.

The funeral will be livestreamed at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/@CentralUMCConcord

Memorial contributions can be made to:
MATCH, PO Box 14469, Raleigh, NC, 27620
Central United Methodist Church Missions, 30 Union St. N, Concord, NC 28025
Scarborough/Shinn Scholarship Fund for Methodist Colleges, 30 Union St. N, Concord, NC 28025

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” - Margaret Mead