Carolyn Lonas

Carolyn Barker Scott Lonas, 77, of Chattanooga, died peacefully at her home early Saturday morning, Oct. 6, 2012 surrounded by her family.Born in Thomaston, Ga., Carolyn spent her early years near Perry, Ga. before moving to Anniston, Ala., and graduating from Anniston High School. While there, she distinguished herself as a student, anorator, and a swimmer. She attended Agnes Scott College where she majored in English and Bible and met her first husband, Bill Scott, a student at Georgia Tech and a Chattanooga native. They married in 1957 and moved to Milton, Fla., where Bill was stationed as a flight instructor for the US Navy and she taught fifth grade. She and Bill soon moved to Chattanooga, and Carolyn continued to teach fifth grade at G. Russell Brown. Throughout the next twenty years, she substituted at Bright School, taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School at Hixson Presbyterian Church, where she served as President of Women in the Church. At First Presbyterian Church, where she was a member at her death, she taught a variety of women's Bible Studies and served as a member of the PCA Women's Advisory Board. In addition, she served for many years on the Academic Advisory Board of Covenant College.Always eager to learn, Carolyn earned a Masters of Art in English and Writing from UTC after the death of her first husband. She joined the Lookout Rowing Club, where she assisted Bill Raoul as an instructor on the river. An avid outdoors woman and excellent wingshooter, Carolynalso enjoyed water-skiing and swimming throughout her life. She loved God's creation and treasured her daily walks in the woods, teaching herself the names of the flora and fauna, especially birds, of her beloved Hillocks. A voracious reader of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and drama, Carolyn appreciated the written word and shared her enthusiasm for literature intelligently. Her passion, however, was for the Bible, which she read, studied, memorized, and taught for over sixty years.After her marriage to Jack Lonas in 1983, she realized her lifelong dream of traveling throughout the world as an ambassador for Christ.She and Jack spent time in Haiti, France, Ireland, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, Hungary, and India before moving permanently toEngland, where they lived for nine years working with World Harvest Mission to plant a church in Southall near London. There, Carolyn helped equip women from Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka with English language skills as she loved and welcomed them into her home.Defined by her ability to transcend and ignore the social position or culture of others, Carolyn directly influenced and impacted people wherever she went in an authentic and Godly way.She was preceded in death by her husband of twenty-four years, William Downing Scott; her parents, Thomas and Martha Barker; and her sister Diane Woodfin Barker.She is survived by her husband of twenty-eight years, Jack Lonas; her five children, Kathaleen Scott (David) Hughes, of Chattanooga, Carolyn Scott (John) Cain, of Ocala, Fla., Jennifer Scott Henley (Michael) Ward, of Chattanooga, William D. (Angie) Scott, Jr., of Lookout Mountain, Ga., and Laura Lonas (Tom) Hughes, of Chattanooga; thirteen grandchildren, David and Scott Hughes; Elizabeth Hope and Mary Scott Cain; Carolyn Claire, Eric, and Locksley Henley; Rachel and Spencer Ward; William and Lily Scott; and Natalie and Allison Hughes; sister, Marti Barker Rogers, of Anniston, Ala.; brother and sister-in-law Mack and Sarah Ann Lonas, of Chattanooga; sister-in-law Sue Odom Scott, of Signal Mountain; and several nieces and nephews.The family will receive friends today at 2 p.m. until the time of service at First Presbyterian Church.The funeral service will be today at 3 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church Rev. Chris Ehlers. Interment will follow at Hamilton Memorial Gardens.Memorial contributions may be made to World Harvest Mission, HarvestInternational, Ocala, FL, Harvest USA, First Presbyterian Church World Missions.Arrangements are by Chattanooga Funeral Home Crematory and Florist, North Chapel, 5401 Highway 153, Hixson, TN, 37343. Please share your thoughts and Memories at www.chattanooganorthchapel.com