Carmen Edwina Howell Headley, 96, went to meet the Lord on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2014.
Carmen, the second daughter of Lemuel Jasper Howell and Annie Hazel (Williams) Howell, was born Nov. 15, 1917 in Double Springs, Ala., and grew up in the town of Reform in Pickens County, where her father was a prominent and longtime educator.
Carmen became a Christian at age 11.
She graduated from Alabama College (now Montevallo University) with a B.S. in home economics, then earned a M.S. in advanced study at the University of Alabama.
She served as a teacher in several Alabama communities as well as in other states, including Newville, Citronelle, Winfield, Tuscaloosa County High (Northport) and Pickens County High School in Alabama, and Delta State Teachers College (now Delta State University) in Cleveland, Miss. and Palmetto High School in Florida.
Carmen married Edgar “Ed” P. Headley, a high school band director originally from Pennsylvania, who taught at Pickens County High School in Reform. They lived in Reform for many years until his retirement, then moved to Fairhope in 1974 to be near her sister Mildred H. Beck and her husband, Jim.
She was a devoted wife to Ed until his death in September 1984.
Carmen was a member and Gold Sister of the Alabama Chi Chapter of Alpha Delta Kappa International Honorary Society for Women Educators for more than 50 years.
She worked with the Young Adults in church and the Women’s Missionary Union. She sang in the choir both at First Baptist Church in Reform and First Baptist Church of Fairhope, where she was a longtime member.
Carmen suffered a brain tumor in 1987 that left her paralyzed on one side and unable to walk. She remained cheerful, lively and gracious through the many years of suffering and disability she faced, and maintained her steadfast love and devotion to Jesus Christ as her Savior.
Carmen was preceded in death by her parents, Lemuel Jasper Howell and Annie Hazel (Williams) Howell; her husband, Edgar “Ed” Paul Headley; her sister, Mildred H. Beck; her brother-in-law James M, Beck; and her longtime friend/caregiver, Edna A. Keller.
She is survived by her cousins, Marietta Cooper Bigler of Champaign, Ill., Enis Howell Turner of Wetumpka, Madelyn Carr (Don) Bonnett of Columbiana, Bruce (Andrea) Williams of Riverview, Mich. and Amy (Drew) Williams-Johnson of Oakland, Calif., as well as several other cousins throughout the U.S.; and loving caregivers.
Funeral services will be held from Wolfe-Bayview Funeral Home in Fairhope on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2014, at 2 p.m.
Carmen will lie in state in the chapel from 1 p.m. until the service time.
Interment will take place at Graham Memorial Cemetery in Reform.
Arrangements by Wolfe-Bayview Funeral Home, Fairhope.
