Obituary: Carolyn Ann Roberts

Kinston -- Carolyn Ann Cooper Roberts of Kinston, NC, passed away on September 26, 2025, at ECU Health facility in Greenville, NC.

A faithful member of Faith Fellowship Church in Kinston, NC, Carolyn’s celebration of life will be held there on October 25, 2025, at 1:00 p.m., with friends gathering afterward in the fellowship hall. Burial will be private.

Carolyn Cooper Roberts, born July 11, 1940, in Roanoke, VA, was the oldest daughter of the late Stanford Edward Cooper and Mabel Alice Coffman Cooper. Her family moved to Wilmington, NC, when she was a young child, and growing up near the ocean and Cape Fear River inspired her love of drawing, doodling, and painting nautical themes. After graduating from Burgaw High School, Carolyn earned her undergraduate degree in Art at UNC-W and later a Master’s in Art Education with an emphasis on painting from ECU. She taught at E.B. Frink Middle School before moving to Kinston High School, where she eventually retired after a dedicated career with Lenoir County Public Schools. Even in retirement, Carolyn continued creating and returned to ECU to learn metalworking and jewelry design, selling her creations locally. A talented dulcimer player, she performed with the Waterbound Dulcimers, Creek Side Dulcimers, and the Dolce Dulcimers, sharing her passion for the arts and her creativity.

Carolyn is survived by her husband of 39 years, Eugene Ross Roberts; sisters Marilyn Smith of Mount Vernon, OH, and Elaine Garvis of Troy, VA; and stepdaughters Katherine Ingram of Greenville and Susie Cummins of Culpeper, VA. She cherished her seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, along with many beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Arrangements made by Edwards Funeral Home & Cremations. Online condolences may be expressed at www.edwardsfhc.com.