Carolyn Starling

On August 20, 1945, Freddie and Lela Coleman welcomed their first child—they named her Carolyn Jo. She departed this life on May 31, 2019. She was 73 years old.

She attended schools in Kilgore, Texas, graduating from C.B. Dansby High School in 1965, having been an honor student, a member of the band and the choir.  She sang solos for UIL competitions.  She won many awards for cooking demonstrations in the 4-H club—perhaps a precursor of her ability to cook so well later.

Carolyn was added to the church as a youth, becoming a member of the Westview Church of Christ in Kilgore, Texas where she was active in the youth ministry; she later worshipped at the Rollins Church of Christ and at Woodland Hill Church of Christ as an active member, working in various ministries.  At the time of her death, she worshipped at the New Hope Church of Christ when her health permitted.

She attended Kilgore College, earning an AA degree, and Stephen F. Austin State University from where she received both a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree.  Her love of children led her to a career in education as a kindergarten teacher.   She spent some 33 years as a kindergarten teacher in the Kilgore Independent School District, assigned to the Kilgore Heights Elementary School where she built a reputation as being one of the best.  She worked with youngsters at Imani’s Academic Learning Center in Kilgore, following her retirement in 1999.

Known for her culinary skills, she delighted in cooking meals from scratch for her family, church events and other activities. She relished any opportunity to “throw a party or a celebration,” and devoted much energy to organizing church events, family gatherings, family reunions and class reunions.  While her skills at cooking, decorating and planning were spot on, her inability to be punctual led her family to create another time zone Carolyn Time or CT which was two hours later than everyone else’s time. She was a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

She united in marriage with Howard Walker; the couple had three sons. Later, she married Perry Starling; they had a daughter. Together, the couple parented six children.

Those who transitioned before her included her parents, her husband Perry Starling; her son Jarvis Walker; her brothers Jerry Don Coleman and Fred Wayne Coleman and her infant sister Wanda Joyce Coleman.

Survivors are: her children, Stephen Walker and his wife Creshia of Kilgore, Texas; Harold James Walker of Dallas, Texas and his wife Bianca; and Sherry Brown and her husband Jay of Pensacola, Florida; Renee Sandford  and Perry Starling, Jr. of Odenton, Maryland; her sisters, Jackie Tolbert of Longview, Texas and Kathy Lynn Coleman of Irving, Texas; and her brother Kenneth Coleman of Dallas, Texas; grandchildren: Khadijah Walker of De Soto, Texas; Gerald Walker and his wife Miranda of Henderson, Texas; Robert Walker and Cameron Feathers both of Kilgore, Texas; Journey Feathers of Pensacola, Florida; Mona Lisa Walker, Raegan Walker and Roman Walker of  Dallas, Texas; Regene Sandford, and Ralik Sandford of Odenton, Maryland, Destiny Lainez and Christina Inez of Dallas, Texas; great-grandchildren: Nahla Walker and Demi Walker of Henderson, Texas; her aunts, Alean Lampkin of Kilgore, Texas;  Mammie Mumphrey of Tyler, Texas; and Avon Redic of Dallas, Texas; her niece Alexis Dunn and her husband Corey of Longview, Texas; her grandnieces Torreanna Coleman of Kilgore, Texas and  Ashlyn Dunn  of Longview, Texas; and her nephews, Cinque Coleman of Kilgore, Texas; and Torreo Coleman of Tennessee Colony, Texas; and grandnephew Carlan Dunn of Longview, Texas. Other survivors include numerous cousins and many dear friends.