Carolyn K. Stonehouse

Carolyn Stonehouse, age 98, passed away the morning of Sunday, October 6, 2024. The family will receive friends at McCullough Funeral Home on Saturday, October 19, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. and a celebration of her life will follow at 12:00 p.m. in the McCullough Funeral Home Chapel. Interment will be at Magnolia Park Cemetery. 

Ms. Stonehouse, an extraordinary educator, began her teaching career as a substitute teacher in 1955 in Massapequa, New York. In 1960, she moved to Warner Robins. She taught Reading at both Tabor Junior High and Rumble Junior High, then she taught Reading and English at Northside High School. Carolyn then transferred to Rumble Junior High where she spent the majority of her teaching career. At Rumble she taught Reading until in 1970 when she accepted the challenge of Coordinator of a new program, CVAE. She held this position until her retirement in 1991. It was here that Carolyn was able to have a significant influence on the lives of her students. They called her “Mama Stonehouse” and she made believers in themselves and taught them how one should live and work in order to be successful in life. Even though she officially retired in 1991 with over 30 years in Houston County schools, she did not quit. She contributed another 15 years to the educational needs of our community. At 81 and four days a week, she was a volunteer tutor for the Adult Literacy program. All in all, during her tenure, as an individual and in her role as “teacher”, she had a significant influence on over 4,000 youth and adults in Warner Robins. These students all became a part of her extended family. Their successes, accomplishments, heartbreaks, and sometimes failure were as much a part of her life as they were theirs.  

She had an understanding of her students that surpassed anything imaginable. A contributing factor to this understanding was that she continued to improve her own knowledge and skills. Carolyn attended and/or graduated from Michigan State University. While there, she became a member of Delta Delta Delta Sorority, an organization whose values she continued to carry throughout her adult life. She went on to attend Hofstra University, University of North Alabama, Mercer University, University of Georgia and Georgia Southern University. Carolyn relied on not just on her academic experiences but also her involvement in her professional organizations and community activities, each source played a prominent role in contributing to making her a great educator. 

Being an exceptional teacher and mentor is only a part of Ms. Stonehouse’s lifetime achievements. From the time she arrived in Warner Robins in 1960, her commitment to community was undeniable.  

She was a charter member of the American Association of University Women. She worked to start up the first School for Speech and Learning in Warner Robins. She also helped create the Warner Robins Day Care Center to serve working mothers and for 11 years served on the Board of Directors. Those centers are now called Cherished Children. She was a Charter member of the Creative Arts Council of Warner Robins. She served on the Board of Directors for the Houston County Drug Action Council for 11 years and she was a member of the Community Action Committee that was established to address the growing teenage pregnancy issue in our community. Ms. Stonehouse was a member of the Business and Professional Women’s Foundation as well as an avid supporter of the Warner Robins Community Concert Association. Carolyn was a Board Member for Houston County Habitat for Humanity for 10 years. Later in her community involvement and under the Juvenile Court, she provided tutoring in all academic areas to juvenile offenders as part of their probation requirements. For six years and under the Office of Dispute Resolution, she acted as Neutral Mediator for the Supreme Court of Georgia in the category of general mediation.  

Carolyn received many awards and accolades during her lifetime, but most recently she was inducted into the Houston County Teacher Hall of Frame (2012). 

Her Memory will be forever treasured by her daughters, Patti Pritchett and Charlotte Moore (Ronnie). She is also survived by her grandchildren, Chris (Marisa), Jenny (Shad), Becca (Blake) and Nathan and her great-grandchildren Hadley, Patrick, Ella, Ansley, Wyatt and Izzy and her precious pup, Mickey was always by her side. There are not enough words of appreciation for our sister in love - Windy Clayton. 

 Carolyn was preceded in death by her parents Jack and Flora Karney, her sister Elizabeth Perlitius, and her son-in-love Sam Pritchett.  

For friends unable to attend at this time, the service will be streamed live at youtube.com/live/qO8oaXCUyas?feature=share  via the McCullough Funeral Home’s YouTube page.

Donations may be given in memory of Carolyn Stonehouse to the Heart of Georgia Hospice, 103 Westridge Drive, Warner Robins Georgia 30188 or to the Houston County Retired Educators Association Scholarship Fund, c/o Bev Hunt, 303 Bernard Drive, Warner Robins 31093 or an organization of your choice.  

Carolyn epitomized all things great in an educator, a leader, a colleague and a friend.