Carolyn J. Acree

Carolyn June Acree passed away on April 18, 2025 at her home surrounded by family. She was born on November 15, 1939 up Turtle Creek in Boone County, WV to Bethel and Mabel Barker. Carolyn graduated from Scott High School in 1957 and soon after became a Navy wife when she married Phillip Earl Acree from nearby Van, WV. With the Navy career, and Phil doing almost constant sea tours on aircraft carriers during the Vietnam War, Carolyn used that in-born grit of the mountain girl that she was to build a household and a home for her family. During that period, they lived on naval bases across the country, from Rhode Island to Texas to California to Florida to Maryland, experiencing life in so many ways that was far removed from the mountains of Boone County. Living on both coasts, Carolyn came to love the beach and raised her boys in the sand and the oceans. When Phil was in port they loved to ride and race their motorcycles in the deserts of Southern California, and she had the trophies to prove it. Phil retired in 1974 and they chose to move back to West Virginia, ending up in Frozen Camp, Jackson County. Carolyn continued living out who she was, taking up deer hunting, ginseng-ing, gardening and canning with her parents while raising her three boys. She was a bit of a free spirit yet fierce and solidly independent when she needed to be. After Phil passed away in 2012 and her mother in 2013, she chose to live alone and as independently as possible. Throughout her life, Carolyn took pride in being a great wife and a great mother. She hated to cook but she loved cooking those things that her men loved, like chipped beef and gravy. However, the one thing that carried her through this life, from the time of her childhood until the day she died, was her deep faith in God. She trusted in God's Word as the only truth. In her last years she talked often of the hope and confidence she had that someday soon she would meet Jesus face to face. That day has come and she now has experienced the real truth of eternity with God. Goodbye, Mother. We loved you for being exactly who you wanted to be and we will love you always.
Carolyn was predeceased by her parents, Bethel James and Zina Mabel (Skeens) Barker and her sister, Barbara Jean (Barker) Woodrum. She lost the love of her life, Phillip Earl Acree, in 2012 after 55 years of marriage. She leaves behind a continually expanding family including her three sons Phillip Acree and wife Brenda of Ripley, WV; Michael Acree and wife Pam of Columbus, OH; and Eric Acree and wife Sylvia of Sierra Vista, AZ, along with eight grandchildren and fifteen great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be Friday, April 25 at 10:00 am at Mill Creek Baptist Church, Frozen Camp WV with the funeral following at 11:00 and burial at the Baptist Grove Cemetery in Frozen Camp. In lieu of flowers, Carolyn had requested that donations be made to the Alliance Defending Freedom (adflegal.org/donate). Memories and condolences may be shared with the family by visiting www.waybrightfuneralhome.com