Carolyn Irene "Carol" Lawrence Craft

Visitation: 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm, Thursday, September 11, 2025Location: Weymouth Funeral HomeFuneral Service: 10:00 am, Friday, September 12, 2025Location: World Outreach Worship Center
Surrounded by her family, Carolyn Irene Lawrence Craft "Carol", 90, passed away and went home to be with the Lord on September 2, 2025, in Newport News, VA, where she resided for 59 years. Carol was born in Radford, VA, where she was raised and resided until graduating from college. She attended Redford College and graduated with a degree in education.
After graduation, Carol began her teaching career in elementary education for the Norfolk Public School System in 1957. After two years in Norfolk, Carol taught in Long Island, NY, Roanoke, VA, and Newport News, VA. In 1978, Carol began teaching 5K for Denbigh Christian Academy (DCA). While retiring briefly in 2005, Carol returned to DCA in various capacities, including substitute teaching, administering placement testing and teaching full-time. She finally retired for good after the 2018-2019 school year. During her career in education, Carol positively affected literally thousands of lives and inspired those around her to achieve greatness.
In the summer of 1961, Carol met Robert Overstreet Craft, Sr (Bobby) and initially wanted nothing to do with him until the spring, 1962, when she was won over by his charm. On June 22, 1963, Carol and Bobby became wife and husband, and they remained together as one for 55 years until Bobby's passing in 2018. One month after their oldest son's birth, they moved into their life-long home on a street that holds many great memories to her family. During their marriage, they had three children who gave them eleven grandchildren and seventeen (soon to be eighteen) great-grandchildren. They built an eternity's worth of memories, and she was the most kind, sensitive and loving mother, Grammy, Meme, teacher, church-goer, choir member to everyone who had the pleasure of knowing and being loved by her.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert O. Craft, Sr; her father, Charlie D. Lawrence; her mother, Thelma G. Lawrence; her sister, Mary Ann Jackson, and her brother, Thomas C. Lawrence. She is survived by her three children – Robert O. Craft Jr (Jacquie), Richard L. Craft (Vivienne), and Kellie L. Godfrey (Mika); eleven grandchildren – Sara, David (Katey), Kendall (Mike), Brenden (Kaylyn), Zachary (Caitlyn), Hannah (Josh), Nicholas, Gabriel, Christopher, Madeline, Zy, and seventeen great-grandchildren – Riley, Landon, Ryder, Jacquie, Jayden, Haidyn, River, Layla, Delilah, Michael, Ronan, Murphy, Harrison, Lydia, Camden, Bryson, Walker and soon to be added to the list Harper, her two sisters, Katherine Hearington (Bill) and Francis Lawrence. In addition to the large immediate family, Carol is survived by numerous nieces, nephews, grand and great-grand nieces and nephews.
Carol was an original member of the World Outreach Worship Center, formerly known as Denbigh Church of God. She was an active member of the choir, sang in a church-sponsored trio, taught and hosted annual vacation Bible schools when her children were young. Her children knew her as Mom or Mama, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren knew her as Grammy or Meme, and all who she taught knew her as the greatest teacher they ever had.
The family would like to thank her neighbors, members of the Church, those she worked with in education, friends and coworkers of her children and the Newport News Fire Department. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you love your family as much as she loved us.
The family will receive visitors from 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm on Thursday, September 11, 2025, at Weymouth Funeral Home (12746 Nettles Dr, NN, VA 23606). Funeral Services will be conducted at 10:00 am on Friday, September 12, 2025, at the World Outreach Worship Center (1233 Shields Rd, NN, VA 23602).