Obituary of Carolyn Cromartie Holt

Carolyn Cromartie Holt, 71, died peacefully at home with her family on October 27, 2012 in Fairfax, VA. She was born in Fayetteville, NC, December 17, 1940 to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Samuel Cromartie, Jr. She was the granddaughter of John H. Cook, former mayor of Fayetteville. Carolyn was a history professor at Northern Virginia Community College. She also shared her love of history with the community as a Docent at various times at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum, Oatlands Plantation, Gunston Hall and the Loudon Museum. She attended UNC Chapel Hill and after graduation in 1962 moved to Arlington, Virginia to teach middle school and later high school. Teaching became a lifelong passion. She finished her Master’s Degree and some PHD course work at George Mason University, which led to an invitation to teach college level classes. Carolyn married her college sweetheart, Phillip C. Holt, Jr. in 1965, and they had three daughters, Christy, Cathy and Susan. She was a kind and loving mother who taught her girls to be mindful of all the beauty life has to offer. Friends and family always felt appreciated in her home. She traveled the world with her husband, including Foreign Service posts in Kenya and Cairo. During their adventures, Carolyn led in discovering the history, music, and art of other cultures. She taught her final history class only months before she lost her brave three year battle with cancer. She is survived by her husband and daughters; her mother, May Hunter Cook Cromartie; her brother, Dr. Robert Samuel Cromartie III; two sons-in-law; three grandchildren; seven nephews; one niece and many cousins and friends. There will be a memorial service at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Burke, Virginia at 10:00 am, on Saturday, November 3rd followed by a reception at the church. Donations may be made in lieu of flowers to the Church, Capital Caring Hospice or the Fisher House Foundation. The Church of the Good Shepherd 9350 Braddock Road, Burke, VA 22015 703-323-5400 Capital Caring Fisher House Foundation www.fisherhouse.org