Carolyn Duke Wiley Humphris

Carolyn Duke (“Dukey”) (Wiley) Humphris, of Daleville, VA, passed away peacefully on Wed. January 11th, 2023 at the age of 92. She was preceded in death by her devoted husband of 68 years, Curtis C. Humphris, Jr. of Daleville and formerly of Lexington, VA; their son Curtis Carlyle Humphris III of Scottsville, VA; her mother Margaret Isabelle (Lawson) Wiley of Lansing, MI and father Thomas Rollin Wiley of OH; aunt Lottie Lee (Lawson) Haines and uncle Lester Haines of Sebring, FL; and cousins Mary Marshall Haines of Hinsdale, IL and Leslee Kenney Haines of Dedham, MA; and uncle James Ashford Payne of Lansing, MI.

Carolyn is survived by her daughter Margaret Ann Humphris and son-in-law, James Shavor of Baton Rouge, LA.; son David Duke Humphris and daughter-in-law, Allison Drew Humphris of Atlanta, GA; cousins Lottie Lee Radsch of New Providence, NJ and Jaime Elizabeth Haines-Tuck of Duxbury, MA; nephews and nieces Robert Rives Humphris Jr. of Charlottesville, VA; Patricia Penn Humphris and husband Joel Ledford of Richmond, VA; Shawn Elizabeth Spencer and husband Steven Levine of Boston MA; and Kristen Shannon Spencer-Wallace and husband Richard Spencer-Wallace and their sons Tucker and Jonah Spencer Wallace of Lexington, VA.

Carolyn was born in Columbus, OH, and grew up in Lexington, KY and Lansing, MI, where she loved living with her grandparents, Lottie Lee and James E. Payne. She loved telling about her childhood, of exploring the neighborhood with her dog, collecting bottle caps, and acting in the drama club in middle and high school. She graduated from Sexton High School at 17, travelled on her own by train to attend Randolph College (the former Randolph-Macon Woman’s College) from 1948-1950, and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Michigan State with a Bachelors in Communication Science: Speech Pathology in 1952. While in college, Carolyn student taught for a year, wrote a byline column for a local Lansing newspaper, and worked summers as a cook on Mackinac Island, about which she told humorous stories with a giggle. She was a proud member of Pi Beta Phi sorority, and kept in touch with many her sorority sisters.

In 1952, Carolyn and Curt married in Lansing and moved immediately to North Dakota. They then transferred for Curt’s Chevron, USA job to Jackson, MS, where their 3 children were born and attended elementary school. In 1965, they moved to New Orleans for 18 years, enjoying the local flavor and traditions. For several years, Carolyn taught kindergarten students at Cahill and substitute taught all ages throughout the N.O. area. After living a few years in Houston, they retired to Lexington, and then Daleville, VA.

In every location, Carolyn loved teaching children, gardening, many pets, and spending time with dear family and friends, old and new. She was known for her love of butterflies and raised monarch butterflies at one time. Carolyn and Curt enjoyed travelling –from family tent and pop-up trailer camping trips across the US, to England, Scotland, and cruising the Rhine. She stayed in contact with several close friends from high school and college, attending reunions faithfully.

Carolyn will be forever loved and dearly missed. We are greatly appreciative of the care Carolyn was given through The Glebe, Roanoke Memorial Hospital, and Hospice. A graveside Memorial and Celebration of Life will be held at the Lexington Oak Grove Cemetery at a later date.

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