Carolyn McDonald Parham

Carolyn McDonald Parham, resident of Daphne, Alabama, passed peacefully surrounded by her loving family on May 13, 2024. She will be remembered for her mentoring, kindness, thoughtfulness, and caring nature. Those whom she dearly loved will miss her enthusiastic card sending. Recently celebrating her 82nd birthday, Carolyn was born on March 13,1942. She grew up in Chickasaw, Alabama and maintained life-long friendships from her school years and her career.

She is preceded in death by her beloved son, Lawrence Jordan "Jordy" Parham II of Citronelle, Alabama; her parents Alfred Sidney "Buddy" McDonald and Sybil Counselman McDonald of Chickasaw, Alabama; her brother Alfred Hudson McDonald and sister-in-law Cheryl Cottrell McDonald of Spanish Fort, Alabama.

She is survived by her daughter, Tara Parham Bennett (Robert, III) of Eufaula, Alabama; her daughter-in-law, Jessica Donavan Parham of Citronelle, Alabama; one granddaughter, Madelyn Parham Parker (Colton) of Citronelle, Alabama; three grandsons, Lawrence Jordan Parham III (Marina) of Citronelle, Alabama, Robert Harris Bennett IV and Sidney Rhodes McDonald Bennett of Eufaula, Alabama; five great-grandchildren; two sisters, Jacqueline McDonald Corley (Russ) of Nashville, Tennessee and Debra McDonald Montesano (Ed) of Montgomery, Alabama; her long-time sweetheart Jim V. Williams of Spanish Fort; and nieces, nephews, cousins and many dear friends.

Carolyn graduated with honors from Vigor High School in 1960. She was a member of The Green Knight Class of 1964 at Wesleyan College and then graduated from the University of Alabama. She also holds a master's degree from the University of South Alabama where she faithfully served as University Registrar for 34 years.

During her tenure at South Alabama, she witnessed the student enrollment grow from a few thousand students to 15,000. One of her primary responsibilities as the university official student record-keeper was to help lead several major conversions such as: the move from the quarter to the semester system, from manual student records to electronic record systems, and from "field house" registration to an online registration system. She received accolades for her many contributions in facilitating the exponential growth from the university's infancy into the millennium.

As a highly respected university administrator, she was active professionally at the national, regional, and state levels and served as president of the Alabama Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officer (ALACRAO) and the Southern Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (SACRAO).

Her community involvement was primarily with the Azalea City Kiwanis Club of Mobile and the Kiwanis Club of Daphne - Spanish Fort, where she served as president and coordinated their major fundraiser "Taste of the Towns" for eight years. She also volunteered as a reader to area preschoolers. As a long-time member of Port City Church of Christ, she hosted weekly Ladies' Bible Study in her home for many years.

Carolyn is honored by those serving as pall bearers: Lawrence Jordan Parham III, Robert Harris Bennett IV, Sydney Rhodes McDonald Bennett, Colton Shane Parker, Alfred Hudson "Buddy" McDonald II, and

William Ryan Stallings. Serving as honorary pall bearers are Jim V. Williams, Robert Harris Bennett III, Joseph Russell Corley, Harold Edwin Montesano, Henry Goldman Levens III, and Dr. William Terry Stallings.

Friends and family are invited to remember and celebrate Carolyn's life at 12 pm on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at Mobile Memorial Gardens Funeral Home with visitation beginning at 10 am. Graveside service immediately following the celebration of life.

Charitable contributions can be made in memory of our beloved Carolyn to AGAPE, P.O. Box 320472, Montgomery, AL 36123-0472 or to the Alabama ALS Chapter, Crestwood ALS Clinic, 610 Airport Rd., Suite 100, Huntsville, AL 35801.

The family wishes to express our sincerest appreciation to devoted family, dear friends, caregivers, as well as the wonderful doctors, nurses, and staff at Southern Cancer Center of Malbis and Springhill Hospice.