Carolyn Smith

Born in Millington, TN on June 6, 1952 Departed on December 13, 2015 and resided in Nashville, TN Life Celebration: Hendersonville Funeral Home Room: Stateroom AWednesday December 16, 2015 11:00am to 12:00pmVisitation: Hendersonville Funeral Home Room: ChapelTuesday December 15, 2015 4:00pm to Wednesday December 16, 2015 to 7:00pm

Carolyn Jennings Smith died Sunday morning, December 13, 2015, after a brief illness. She was born on June 6, 1952 in Millington, TN and lived in the Hendersonville and Nashville area for the past 28 years. She is preceded in death by her father, Earle Jennings, Jr and survived by her husband, Randell A. Smith, her son, Alexander R. Smith, and her mother, Pauline Jennings.
She was a remarkably kindhearted and generous person. Soon after high school graduation, she met her husband, Randy, and they married in 1972 in Memphis, TN. After putting her husband through college in Florida, she obtained a Civil Engineering Degree from Drexel University in Philadelphia in 1982. After a brief stint working with an engineering company in York, PA, she left to start a new business, Smith Travel Research, in partnership with Randy. That business, today known as STR, became very successful and today employees nearly 250 people around the world. She was instrumental in launching the business and driving it forward in its formative years, and she continued to help guide the company to this day. Because of the service she provided to the lodging industry, Carolyn was inducted into the Hilton Hospitality Hall of Honor in 2013.
In 2001, Carolyn started another new business, Haus of Yarn, where she was able to fulfill a life-long dream of running a yarn store. Today the yarn store has 14 employees and is one of the best yarn stores in the nation. Knitting was a true passion of hers and all of her close friends have hats, gloves or scarves as a result. As a prolific knitter, she loved making items for charitable organizations, premature babies, and hospital patients.
Carolyn believed in supporting a variety of organizations and schools. She made significant contributions to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Vanderbilt Medical School and the Vanderbilt Eye Institute. Numerous public schools throughout Sumner and Cheatham County were also beneficiaries of her generosity.
Perhaps her most notable feature was her willingness to help those around her. The number of people who benefited from her generosity is endless. She would frequently step in to help friends, relatives and employees with financial and emotional support. She was a strong woman who people felt they could rely on during difficult times. She also was an incredibly intelligent person. She was quick witted, involved in current issues, passionately opinionated and strong-willed. It is unfortunate that she left us so early in life, because she had so much more to give of her insights, talent and kindness. She will be greatly missed.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Vanderbilt Eye Institute: (Office of Gifts & Donor Services PMB 407727 2301 Vanderbilt Place Nashville, TN 37240-7727) Or: St. Jude Childern's Research Hospital (501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105)
Please designate in memory of Carolyn Smith
A celebration of Carolyn's life will be held on Wednesday December 16, 2015 at 11am in the chapel of Hendersonville Funeral Home. Visitation with the family will be held on Tuesday December 15, 2015 from 4pm-7pm at Hendersonville Funeral Home 353 E Main St. Hendersonville, TN 37075 (615) 824-3855 hendersonvillefh.com