Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023, in the McCurdy Family Plot in Magnolia Cemetery in Batesville for Carolyn McCurdy Young, who died on Thursday, Oct. 19, in Destin, Fla.
Carolyn was born on Jan. 31, 1930, in Memphis, Tenn., the daughter of John Carl McCurdy and Merle Nelson McCurdy of Pope. She was married to the late Dr. William Thomas Young and is survived by their three children, Dr. Sherry Young of Santa Fe, N.M., Steve Young of New Orleans, La., and Melanie Hixson (Walter) of Little Rock, Ark., and Destin, Fla.; four grandsons and her sister, Barbara McCurdy Branscome (Guy) of Grenada.
Carolyn attended Gulf Park High School where she was voted Most Outstanding. She graduated from the University of Mississippi where she was an exceptional student. She was a member of Delta Delta Delta and was Mortar Board president. The summer after graduation, she and a friend traveled to Europe by freighter from New Orleans, La. Often mistaken for Ingrid Bergman, you can imagine the stir she caused on the freighter. After landing in Yugoslavia, she spent three months traveling in Italy, France and Britain. In those early years after World War II with the strong dollar, she and her friend stayed in luxury hotels like the Danieli in Venice for $15 a night instead of the current $1,000-plus.
Back home, Carolyn was offered a job as a stewardess for American Airlines. In those days passengers were served meals on China and crystal, and stewardess’ uniforms included stiletto heels. Based in New York, she and her four stewardess roommates leased Jackie Gleason’s old apartment on Riverside Drive complete with a doorman, a wood-burning fireplace and a balcony with a view of the Hudson River. On her days off, she loved spending hours exploring New York’s museums and art galleries, especially the Metropolitan.
Carolyn then married and after several years in New York, moved with their family to New Orleans, La., where her husband was head of the art department at the University of New Orleans. While raising her three children and supporting their many activities, she earned her master’s degree in English and taught. In her later years, she again had the good fortune to travel extensively including a trip to the Taj Mahal when she was 80. Her favorite place in all the world was Paros, Greece where she and her husband spent many summers. They established such strong friendships in Paros, that one summer a lovely dinner party was given in her honor.
Carolyn was compassionate, generous, hardworking and sincere. She valued kindness and integrity in herself and in others. She was dearly loved and will be greatly missed.
Online condolences can be expressed to the family at www.mckibbenandguinn.com
McKibben and Guinn Funeral Service in Grenada is in charge of arrangements.
