Carol Andrews Southerland

Carol Andrews Southerland passed away peacefully surrounded by her family at UNC Memorial Hospital Sunday, August 5, 2018. Carol was born April 25, 1944 in Richmond, VA and grew up in Roseboro, NC.  She was the daughter of the late Eleanor “Big Mama” Andrews and Junius Mebane Andrews, Sr. She was also preceded in death by her grandparents Mr. and Mrs. Samuel James Andrews, Mrs. Alice Satcher Sanders and brother Junius Mebane Andrews, Jr. 

She graduated valedictorian of Roseboro-Salemburg High School Class of 1961.  She earned a B.A. from Meredith College where she was inducted into the leadership society, Silver Shield, and later served on the Alumnae Board.  Carol subsequently earned a Master’s in Library Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 

She is survived by her beloved husband of 43 years, Dr. Isaac Brown Southerland.  They were a team.  She was extremely proud of her children, John Isaac and wife Jenny, of Birmingham, AL, and Dr. Andrew Mebane of Charlottesville, VA.  Her greatest joy was her grandchildren, Isaac David, Eleanor Kettell, and John Taylor. She was also survived by her two sisters, Judy Andrews Montague and husband Joe of Holly Springs, NC and Betty Frances Robinson and husband Mike of Rocky Mount, NC. 

Besides her family, Carol was devoted to her work in education, particularly library science, which included assignments in Garland, Roseboro, Salemburg, Williamston, Charlotte, the State Department of Community Colleges, South Lenoir High School and Arendell Parrott Academy in Kinston, NC.  She was Sampson County’s Teacher of the Year in 1982.  She coached championship Quiz Bowl teams and taught SAT/ACT prep for many years.  She was past president of the NC Library Association and awarded Life Membership in 1999 and chaired the Regional White House Conference on Libraries. Finally, Carol served for many years on the Friends of the Neuse Regional Library Board in Kinston and was the first tutor in Parrott Academy’s Academic Center.  She was a lifelong learner, evidenced by her numerous book clubs. 

To all who knew her, Carol had an unflappable zest for life and was an eternal optimist, remaining positive to the end.  The family would like to thank the many friends and church family who offered support during her extended illness.  We are eternally grateful to caregiver, Sallie Edwards, Dr. Alonzo Davis, Dr. Misbah Qadir and her physicians, nurses and support staff at Kinston Medical Specialists Hematology/Oncology, Carteret Health Care and UNC Medical Center.

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, August 8, 2018, at 3pm at the First United Methodist Church in Morehead City, NC with a visitation reception to follow.  The family asks that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to the Arendell Parrott Academy Academic Center or the Neuse Regional Library. 

Arendell Parrott Academy

P.O. Box 1297

1901 Dobbs Farm Road

Kinston, NC 28503

Online giving: www.parrottacademy.org (Go to “Support APA” tab, “Ways to Give, “Memorial” link)

Neuse Regional Library

510 N. Queen St.

Kinston, NC 28501

Designate:  Kinston-Lenoir County Friends of the Library