In memoriam: Carolyn passed on May 13, 2024 at the age of 82.
Carolyn McDonald Parham, resident of Daphne, Alabama, passed peacefully surrounded by her loving family on May 13, 2024. She will be remembered for her mentoring, kindness, thoughtfulness, and caring nature. Those whom she dearly loved will miss her enthusiastic card sending. Recently celebrating her 82nd birthday, Carolyn was born on March 13, 1942. She grew up in Chickasaw, Alabama, and maintained life-long friendships from her school years and her career.She is preceded in death by her beloved son, Lawrence Jordan "Jordy" Parham II of Citronelle, Alabama; her parents, Alfred Sidney "Buddy" McDonald and Sybil Counselman McDonald of Chickasaw, Alabama; her brother, Alfred Hudson McDonald and sister-in-law, Cheryl Cottrell McDonald of Spanish Fort, Alabama.She is survived by her daughter, Tara Parham Bennett (Robert, III) of Eufaula, Alabama; her daughter-in-law, Jessica Donavan Parham of Citronelle, Alabama; one granddaughter, Madelyn Parham Parker (Colton) of Citronelle, Alabama; three grandsons, Lawrence Jordan Parham III (Marina) of Citronelle, Alabama, Robert Harris Bennett IV and Sidney Rhodes McDonald Bennett of Eufaula, Alabama; five great-grandchildren; two sisters, Jacqueline McDonald Corley (Russ) of Nashville, Tennessee and Debra McDonald Montesano (Ed) of Montgomery, Alabama; her long-time sweetheart Jim Williams of Spanish Fort; and nieces, nephews, cousins and many dear friends.Carolyn graduated with honors from Vigor High School in 1960. She was a member of The Green Knight Class of 1964 at Wesleyan College and then graduated from the University of Alabama. She also holds a master's degree from the University of South Alabama where she faithfully served as University Registrar for 34 years. During her tenure at South Alabama, she witnessed the student enrollment grow from a few thousand students to 15,000. One of her primary responsibilities as the university official student record-keeper was to help lead several major conversions such as: the move from the quarter to the semester system, from manual student records to electronic record systems, and from "field house" registration to an online registration system. She received accolades for her many contributions in facilitating the exponential growth from the university's infancy into the millennium. As a highly respected university administrator, she was active professionally at the national, regional, and state levels and served as president of the Alabama Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officer (ALACRAO) and the Southern Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (SACRAO).