Carolyn Begley

Carolyn Begley passed on from this life as much of the country witnessed the beautiful northern lights in the sky on the evening of Friday, May 10, 2024, in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Maybe this was a coincidence, but it was a beautiful sendoff for a beautiful woman.

Carolyn was born in Cape Girardeau on July 9, 1939.

Carolyn was passionate about grammar and etiquette. Just ask her seven grandchildren. They were provided with countless grammar and etiquette seminars throughout their childhoods hosted by their “Nina/Nonnie". Carolyn was so proud of her grandchildren, even when an occasional “lay” was used instead of “lie” or even when one of them licked their knife at the dinner table.

Carolyn loved reading, and her book list was voluminous and legendary. She was always prepared to discuss books and offer new recommendations. She also loved crossword puzzles and was rarely seen without her puzzle book in hand.

Carolyn and her husband of 63 years, Terry, met when they were 13 and 14 years old. They were married in 1961 and lived in Cape Girardeau until 2016, when they moved to Mount Pleasant. They have three daughters who had a pretty idyllic childhood on Woodhaven Road. The family spent countless vacations on Sanibel Island, where they all grew to love shell collecting. Carolyn was a champion wentletrap hunter and had a large mason jar filled with the tiny, beautiful shells that will probably be the one and only material asset the family will fight over.

Carolyn’s daughters loved hearing stories of her childhood in Marble Hill. Stories about the time she threw a piano bench out the high school music room window; the time she heroically saved her siblings from certain catastrophe when they were swept down the flooded Crooked Creek; the time she punched her sweet twin sister, Camille, in the nose because she didn’t want to carry the piano lesson books; and the infamous and oh so controversial story about her friend who swung by a shoelace upside down from a tree limb. Her daughters could listen to these stories over and over and never tire of them.

Carolyn’s last hours were spent with many of her family members gathered around celebrating her life and drinking margaritas, for which despite her being on her death bed, she was able to provide the recipe. Her margaritas are the best. Feel free to reach out to one of her daughters if you would like the recipe. She was watching a St. Louis Cardinals baseball game as she took her last breath. They lost, of course. Do better, Cardinals.

Carolyn was a mother figure to many young people beyond her own children, and she was a precious friend to so many others. She was a beloved sister with a truly special bond with her twin. And most of all she was the true love of Terry’s life. She will be dearly missed.

She is survived by her husband, Terrence “Terry” Begley; daughters, Allison (Alan) Bond of Charlotte, North Carolina, Melissa (Charlie) Mace of Springfield, Missouri, and Jennifer (Bradley) Keith of Mount Pleasant; grandchildren, Elizabeth Mace, Wilson Mace, Audrey Mace, Harper Bond, Aidan Bond, Colton Keith and Vivian Keith; twin sister, Camille (Tom) McKinney; sister, Francie (Joe) Dunlap; brother, Bill (Sharon) Hopkins; one niece; many nephews; cousins; and dear friends.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Mary Elisabeth Hartsel Hopkins, and her father, James Rowland Hopkins.

In lieu of donations, Carolyn would love for everyone to learn the correct usage of your and you’re, lie and lay and there, their and they’re.