Virginia Carolyn Warrington

Virginia Carolyn Warrington, 81, of Florence, Alabama, departed this life Sunday, October 14, 2018 at Eliza Coffee Memorial Hospital in Florence.
She was born March 29, 1937 in Collinwood, Tennessee, daughter of the late John Anderson Smith and Eva Elizabeth Burns Smith Luttrell. She attended Collinwood High School participating for several years as a cheerleader and basketball player. She graduated from CHS in 1955.
She was a homemaker and entrepreneur, having launched and managed a clothing store and two travel agencies. She started the first Brownie and Girls Scout Troop in Waynesboro, Tennessee. She was directly involved in local political, business and charitable organizations and was instrumental in opening the Wayne Medical Center in Waynesboro. Carolyn was a Methodist in faith, attending First United Methodist Church in Waynesboro serving as director of United Methodist Youth Fellowship, among other church activities. She served as President of the United Methodist Women in Florence. She was a member of the Elks Lodge 2860 in Sheffield, Alabama.
Carolyn was preceded in death by Jerry Lane Warrington in November 2006. They were married for 32 years. Soon after marrying in 1974, they moved to Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania where Jerry was state manager for Woodmen of the World Insurance Society. They returned to the South in 1994 residing in Florence for their retirement years. As Jerry said: "One can only handle being a Yankee for so long."
She enjoyed traveling with her husband and other family members her entire life. She visited England, Scotland, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Greece, Turkey, Russia, Kenya, Israel, Canada, Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Bermuda, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Aruba, Curacao, Malta, Bonaire, Nassau and most Caribbean Islands, Belize, Honduras, Jamaica, states of Alaska and Hawaii and 40 others, Among her hobbies and skills were reading, watching her favorite sports teams, and helping friends and family handle difficult times. She received her greatest pleasure from being around her family and friends, whom she dearly loved.
Survivors include her daughter, Trudy Throgmorton Blades (Cary) of Florence, Alabama, her sister, Judith Smith Carroll (Bobby) of Knoxville, Tennessee, a brother, Louis Smith (Anita) of Honolulu, Hawaii; stepchildren, Karen Dale Warrington Kelly (Billy Wayne) of Columbia, Tennessee, Mark Lane Warrington (Patricia) of Hohenwald, Tennessee, John Holt Warrington of Hohenwald, Tennessee; an uncle, Bobby Burns, Korean War veteran (Betty Jo), of Collinwood, Tennessee; grandcats, Leopold, Satine and Simone of Florence, Alabama; step grandchildren, Sarah Kelly Fitzgerald (James) of Columbia, Tennessee, Daniel Kelly (Leigh Ann) of Culleoka, Tennessee, Tyler Lane Warrington of Odenton, Maryland, Leigh Anne Warrington of Hohenwald, Tennessee, John Christopher Warrington (Emily) of Hohenwald, Tennessee; step great grandchildren, Hannah Fitzgerald, Lane Kelly, Caleb Kelly, Haleigh Fitzgerald, Harper Fitzgerald and Charlea Quinn Warrington.
Nieces and Nephews; Elizabeth Carroll Kemp (Victor) of Huntersville, North Carolina, Robert Braxton Carroll of Knoxville, Tennessee, Amanda Smith Captain of Killen, Alabama, Daniel Anderson Smith (Erin) of Lakeland, Florida, Phillip Alexander Smith (Kristie) of Knoxville, Tennessee, Chadwick Anderson Smith (Michelle) of Sandy Springs, Georgia, and Matthew Russell Smith of Los Angeles, California.
In addition to her parents and her husband, she was preceded in death by two brothers; John Thomas Smith (Pamela), of Luttrell, Tennessee and Paul Herschel Smith (Kathy) of Russellville, Alabama and her ex-husband, George Franklin “Buddy” Throgmorton (father of Trudy) of Waynesboro, Tennessee.
Celebration of Life Services will be held on Sunday, October 28, 2018 at 3:00 PM, with visitation starting at 12:30 PM at Shackelford Funeral Directors, Collinwood Chapel. Memorial contributions (in lieu of flowers) in her name may be sent to the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society.