Obituary for Carolyn Zolg (Lucas)
Carolyn Bea Zolg
Carolyn, 85, passed into glory and joined her Lord and Savior on December 15, 2020, while surrounded by family in her home in Cookeville, Tenn.
She was born on August 3, 1935, in Newark, Ohio. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Otterbein University in June 1957. She also earned her master degrees in Special Education and Reading from the University of Arizona in 1981 and 1983, respectively.
Carolyn found her soul mate in Robert “Bob” Zolg at a young adult dance hosted by their local YWCA in Dayton, Ohio. They married on January 7, 1961. Bob and Carolyn started their family in Ohio and moved shortly thereafter to California. The family lived there five years but spent a majority of their daughters’ grade school years in Tucson, Arizona. They moved to Cookeville in 1985 where both Bob and Carolyn had rewarding careers. Carolyn retired as a reading professor from Tennessee Tech University in 2003 after 17 years.
Carolyn was a generous and giving wife, mother, friend, and volunteer. She fostered her family’s faith, encouraged their dreams, and found profound joy in their successes. She was immensely proud of her children and eight grandchildren and was able to see her legacy of love and compassion carry on in their lives.
She had a deep love for children and spent much of her retirement serving the Cookeville community at the Upper Cumberland Child Advocacy Center. As a lifelong educator, she believed in the impact of literacy and volunteered with Reading is Fundamental as well. She was also involved in many university fund raising programs.
Carolyn was a faithful and active member of First Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Cookeville. She embodied grace and compassion and humbly lived as an example of such with her congregation. She was a member of the Hallelujah Handbells, served on several church committees, and was active in Sunday School and her church circle.
Carolyn was preceded in death by her parents, Dean and Alyce Lucas of Newark, Ohio.
Survivors include her husband of 60 years, Bob Zolg of Cookeville; two daughters, Lisa Vaughnn (David), of Rockville, Maryland.; Kristi Davidson (Gregg) of Oxford, Miss.; eight grandchildren, Kelly Crim (William), Michelle Wuerdeman (Matt), Kevin Davidson (Gabrielle), Joella Lambert (Hayden), Noah Vaughnn (Sabrina), Heidi Davidson, Elijah Vaughnn, and Isaiah Vaughnn; a brother, Roger Lucas (Mary) of Piedmont, S. Carolina; and a sister, Lynda Kinney of Newark, Ohio.
Our family would like to express gratitude for your prayers far and wide. Our mom and grandma lived a life full of unbounding love and amazing grace. The Lord called her home, and she now walks with Him, healed and unbroken, in eternal glory. We would especially like to thank her caregiver, Donna, for her care of Carolyn as she lived with Parkinson’s Disease. A memorial service will be held for her on December 26, 2020,
at the First Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Cookeville, Tenn (565 East 10th Street). Visitation will be at 1:00 PM followed by a 2:00 PM service.
Carolyn, 85, passed into glory and joined her Lord and Savior on December 15, 2020, while surrounded by family in her home in Cookeville, Tenn.
She was born on August 3, 1935, in Newark, Ohio. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Otterbein University in June 1957. She also earned her master degrees in Special Education and Reading from the University of Arizona in 1981 and 1983, respectively.
Carolyn found her soul mate in Robert “Bob” Zolg at a young adult dance hosted by their local YWCA in Dayton, Ohio. They married on January 7, 1961. Bob and Carolyn started their family in Ohio and moved shortly thereafter to California. The family lived there five years but spent a majority of their daughters’ grade school years in Tucson, Arizona. They moved to Cookeville in 1985 where both Bob and Carolyn had rewarding careers. Carolyn retired as a reading professor from Tennessee Tech University in 2003 after 17 years.
Carolyn was a generous and giving wife, mother, friend, and volunteer. She fostered her family’s faith, encouraged their dreams, and found profound joy in their successes. She was immensely proud of her children and eight grandchildren and was able to see her legacy of love and compassion carry on in their lives.
She had a deep love for children and spent much of her retirement serving the Cookeville community at the Upper Cumberland Child Advocacy Center. As a lifelong educator, she believed in the impact of literacy and volunteered with Reading is Fundamental as well. She was also involved in many university fund raising programs.
Carolyn was a faithful and active member of First Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Cookeville. She embodied grace and compassion and humbly lived as an example of such with her congregation. She was a member of the Hallelujah Handbells, served on several church committees, and was active in Sunday School and her church circle.
Carolyn was preceded in death by her parents, Dean and Alyce Lucas of Newark, Ohio.
Survivors include her husband of 60 years, Bob Zolg of Cookeville; two daughters, Lisa Vaughnn (David), of Rockville, Maryland.; Kristi Davidson (Gregg) of Oxford, Miss.; eight grandchildren, Kelly Crim (William), Michelle Wuerdeman (Matt), Kevin Davidson (Gabrielle), Joella Lambert (Hayden), Noah Vaughnn (Sabrina), Heidi Davidson, Elijah Vaughnn, and Isaiah Vaughnn; a brother, Roger Lucas (Mary) of Piedmont, S. Carolina; and a sister, Lynda Kinney of Newark, Ohio.
Our family would like to express gratitude for your prayers far and wide. Our mom and grandma lived a life full of unbounding love and amazing grace. The Lord called her home, and she now walks with Him, healed and unbroken, in eternal glory. We would especially like to thank her caregiver, Donna, for her care of Carolyn as she lived with Parkinson’s Disease. A memorial service will be held for her on December 26, 2020,
at the First Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Cookeville, Tenn (565 East 10th Street). Visitation will be at 1:00 PM followed by a 2:00 PM service.