I have had the opportunity to be in touch with Carolyn's husband and found out the details of her death. Carolyn married late in life to Fred Garis and became a stepmom to his son, Buddy. Carolyn and I both worked for the State and at one time rode to work together. I had the honor of being at her wedding. Carolyn and Fred lived in Conyers for 16 years and after they retired built a house on Lake Sinclair. Carolyn's illness came on suddenly as a gall stone lodged itself in a tube and backed up bile. At some point all this caused her pancreas to explode damaging her kidneys and heart. Sadly, her husband was told that keeping her on life support would only tend to make her physical state worse. Before she went into a coma she asked not to be kept alive if there was no hope. Her husband related that she was in a coma for two and a half months before he finally made the decision to let her go home to the Lord. Carolyn passed away in May of 2004 and is buried in Milledgeville. I am sad to have to post this but when I heard at the reunion that she had passed away, I vowed to find out the details for myself as well as for her fellow classmates. I got to know Carolyn personally after we graduated and began our careers at the State. We became good friends and kept in touch with her until she retired and then "life got in the way" and I lost touch with her. Lesson to me and to everyone, if God nudges you or speaks to your heart about someone, do something about it; a telephone call or a note. One never knows when it will be too late to do so. Don't let that window of opportunity close because sometimes the window doesn't stay open very long. In loving memory of Carolyn Jenkins Garis.
Patricia Hammonds (Piper-Mashburn)
I have had the opportunity to be in touch with Carolyn's husband and found out the details of her death. Carolyn married late in life to Fred Garis and became a stepmom to his son, Buddy. Carolyn and I both worked for the State and at one time rode to work together. I had the honor of being at her wedding. Carolyn and Fred lived in Conyers for 16 years and after they retired built a house on Lake Sinclair. Carolyn's illness came on suddenly as a gall stone lodged itself in a tube and backed up bile. At some point all this caused her pancreas to explode damaging her kidneys and heart. Sadly, her husband was told that keeping her on life support would only tend to make her physical state worse. Before she went into a coma she asked not to be kept alive if there was no hope. Her husband related that she was in a coma for two and a half months before he finally made the decision to let her go home to the Lord. Carolyn passed away in May of 2004 and is buried in Milledgeville. I am sad to have to post this but when I heard at the reunion that she had passed away, I vowed to find out the details for myself as well as for her fellow classmates. I got to know Carolyn personally after we graduated and began our careers at the State. We became good friends and kept in touch with her until she retired and then "life got in the way" and I lost touch with her. Lesson to me and to everyone, if God nudges you or speaks to your heart about someone, do something about it; a telephone call or a note. One never knows when it will be too late to do so. Don't let that window of opportunity close because sometimes the window doesn't stay open very long. In loving memory of Carolyn Jenkins Garis.