On Saturday, October 19th, 2024 at the age of 68, Carol Jeanette Smith Rose moved from this life to her new home with her Savior, Jesus Christ. She was born October 9, 1956 in Indianola, Mississippi to Bonnie A'Layne Thomas Smith and J.L. Smith. She attended high school at Indianola Academy and graduated in the class of 1974. At IA, Carol met Walter Samuel "Sammy" Rose. They quickly became high school sweethearts, and it wasn't long before they both made their way to Mississippi State University – still going strong....

At MSU, Carol was a member of the Phi Mu Sorority. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education. She was a member of multiple honor societies and was very active on campus with Phi Mu's philanthropies. She was also pinned as the Pi Kappa Alpha Sweetheart, and she was a well-known face at the Pike House.

Carol married Sammy at the First Baptist Church in Indianola on July 14, 1979. They lived in Sunflower, MS for a few years, where she taught 4th grade at Indianola Academy and also pursued her Masters in English from Delta State University. In 1983 they welcomed their first child, a daughter, Cassey. After Sammy's acceptance into Optometry school in 1986, they moved to Memphis, TN. There, Carol taught 5th and 6th grade English at St. Mary's Episcopal School. After his graduation, they moved back to Indianola, and she taught English again with the Public School. In 1994 they welcomed their second child, a son, Samuel. Over the next few years she took some time to enjoy her role as a mother. In this era she was the event coordinator, the cook, the carpool chauffeur, the traveler, and the involved club member. These years were her best years..... She became very active in her community in the 20th Century Club, Explorer's Bible Study, Lay Witness Missions, serving for Rotary Club, Indianola Academy, Gideons, Emmaus, Honduras Baptist Medical Dental Missions, and the First United Methodist Church. In 2004, she was honored to serve as the Lay-Director for Emmaus Walk #173. She went on to teach the GED program at Mississippi Delta Community College. She became an English Professor of Composition I and II and Creative Writing at MDCC. In 2017, she received the MDCC Distinguished Service Award for 14 years of service. Following retirement, Carol took up the love of traveling. She ventured to many places including the British Virgin Islands, Germany, Hungary, Austria, Scotland, the United Kingdom, Mexico, and many more. Those stories from abroad provide so much laughter.

She is preceded in death by her husband Dr. Sammy Rose, and her parents, Bonnie and J.L. Smith, and mother-in-law Julia Clower Rose, all of Indianola. She is survived by her children Dr. Walter Samuel Rose II (Lydia) of Jackson, MS, and Dr. Cassey Rose Hardin (Mark), her grandchildren, Rose Cameron Hardin, Maryn Claire Hardin, and Everlee Mills Hardin of Indianola, her sister, Daphne Smith Cobb of Gulfport, MS, her brother, Jerry Layne Smith of Jackson, MS, her father-in-law Dr. Walter Henry Rose of Indianola, sister-in-laws Julia Rose Hill (Allen) of Indianola and Ann Rose Patridge (Bruce Abel) of Grenada, her aunt Susan Thomas Hutchinson (Billy) of Fuquay-Varina, NC, and many nieces and nephews.

Services will be held on Wednesday, October 23rd, at the First Methodist Church in Indianola. Visitation will be at 1pm in Newman Hall with the celebration of life service following at 2pm. Interment will be held at the Indianola Cemetery. Burton Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Memorials may be made to Indianola First Methodist Church.