Carolyn Cave Black went to be with her Lord and Savior October 1, 2024. In her 89 years of life, she touched many lives with her servant heart, steadfast faith, and encouraging words. She was born on April 8, 1935 to Joe Bob and Gertrude Ballard Cave and was raised in Dallas, Texas. She was a strong and independent Texas woman who was a Daughter of the Republic of Texas and was proud of being a 4th generation Texan. She met her husband, George Black Jr., while obtaining a degree in English at Southern Methodist University. After they married in 1956, they moved to Houston where they lived for 44 years. During that time, she raised five children, was a teacher at St. Thomas' Episcopal School, and spent countless hours volunteering in the community. In their later years Carolyn and George moved to Comfort, Texas where they spent 22 wonderful years enjoying the Texas Hill Country. She completed her voyage of life in Fredericksburg, Texas.

During her Dallas years she attended Armstrong Elementary, Highland Park Jr. High, and Highland Park High School. She was close with both her parents, playing card games with her father and traveling with him to their farm just outside of Dallas where she would ride her pony. Her mother took her to piano lessons, accordion lessons, and ballet lessons. She traveled with her mother all over America and also overseas in Europe. At SMU, she was president of her sorority, Kappa Kappa Gamma. There and with a group of friends called ''Birding at Bob's'' she made lifelong friendships.

Carolyn's family was the joy of her life. She entered wholeheartedly into being a mother to five children with an amazing display of energy and love, giving them a wonderful childhood by providing for them physically, intellectually and spiritually. She loved teaching and was a lifelong teacher, whether it was guiding her own children how to navigate life, teaching Sunday School, being a Camp Fire leader, or teaching at St. Thomas' Episcopal School where she instructed multiple generations - including in her own family- two of her children, a niece, and one of her grandchildren. In addition to caring for her own family, she was a faithful godmother to four godchildren.

Carolyn loved the outdoors and spending weekends at the family farm in Kenney, Texas. The farm was a place to relax, dress down, invite friends, ride horses and be creative with simple fun. After retirement, she and George transferred the location of those fun times to their new home in Comfort, Texas which was fondly named Camp Grands, where all the grandchildren bonded year after year. Through their adult years, she mentored, helped, and gave emotional support to her children. She developed close relationships with her eleven grandchildren by babysitting them, guiding and encouraging them, and visiting them all across the country; she attended their sporting events, graduations, special achievements and, eventually, weddings.

Carolyn was very close with her sister Joanne, and they were always involved in each other's lives and with each other's families, despite living in different cities. They were great correspondents and had a fun sense of humor. Carolyn and Joanne loved to travel together and had great adventures overseas.

Carolyn started her Christian walk at Highland Park Presbyterian in Dallas and subsequently participated in several other churches, growing in her faith through Bible Studies, worship and service. She loved spending time with the Lord in her chair beside the window in Comfort, reading her Bible, writing in her journal, praying for her family, friends, and anyone who had a need. Prayer was her first response to difficult situations. She instituted the Camp Grands Bible Memory Program to encourage several generations of family members to hide God's Word in their hearts.

Carolyn led a life of service. As a member of the Houston Jr. League, she volunteered many hours serving in the tearoom, at the Houston Nature Discovery Center, and at Texas Children's Hospital. At St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Houston, she served as a Stephen minister and volunteered at Vacation Bible School; in Comfort she ministered at Trinity Mission Assisted Living. She also helped a family in Comfort with quadruplets. For many years, she volunteered at the library in Comfort, organizing and teaching English as a second language and becoming quite close to some of her students and their families. She especially enjoyed preparing and giving presentations at the Comfort Literary Social meetings. She was a good friend to many, making time to develop relationships with people in many different walks of life, bringing meals, gifts, notes of encouragement or expressions of sympathy during times of need or grief in their lives. She was bold, never afraid to walk up to a group of strangers to encourage them or to make them feel welcome.

She has now been blessed to meet her Savior, Jesus Christ, face to face in heaven. Along with Him, she has the joy of reuniting with her parents Joe Bob Cave and Gertrude Ballard Cave, her beloved sister Joanne Cantwell, and three grandchildren, Mary, Stephen and Esther Walters.

She is survived by her husband of 68 years, George Black Jr., and five children: George Black III, Katherine (and Hal) Walters, Emmalee Black, Amy (and Jimmy) Dexter, Elizabeth (and Mike) Wills. She is survived by eleven grandchildren: Jeremy Black, Jason Black, Hannah Ramsey, Grace Cupp, Morgan Noren, Whitney Parris, John Palla, Michael Dudick, Sam Dudick, Chloe Dudick and Izabel Wills. She is survived by ten great grandchildren: Patrick Black, Henry Black, Charlotte Black, Robert Ramsey, Nathan Ramsey, Mia Noren, Max Noren, Jack Parris, Joseph Parris, and Oliver Dudick. She is also survived by nieces, a nephew and their families: Elizabeth Weber, Catherine Eagle, Nancy Beck, Mary Katherine Pattison, and David Black, Jr.

Visitation will be held 5-7 PM Thursday, October 17, 2024, at Grimes Funeral Chapels, 728 Jefferson St., Kerrville, Texas.

Graveside ceremony for family and invited guests will be held at 10:00 AM Friday, October 18, 2024, at Comfort Cemetery, Comfort, Texas.

Memorial service will be held at 11:30 AM Friday, October 18, 2024, at St. Michael and All Angels Anglican Church, 2015 Singing Wind Dr., Kerrville, Texas, followed by a luncheon provided by the ladies of the church.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you send memorial donations to the Comfort Public Library.

The family would like to thank all of Carolyn's loving caregivers, the facility staff and the hospice staff for their wonderful care of Carolyn.

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