Carol Edwards Griswold, age 87, of the Bolens Creek Community, passed away on Sunday, June 20, 2021 at her home. Carol was born to the late Austyn and Charlotte Edwards on August 26, 1933 in Chicago, Illinois. She was also preceded in death by sisters: Harriett Ihrman, Carol Duncan, Nola Edwards, and Francie Edwards.
Music was a big part of her life, both instrumentally and vocally. She played cornet throughout her high school years in LaSalle-Peru, Illinois, and sang soprano in church choirs starting at age 14. In addition, she was chosen by audition to be the first chair solo cornet in the Illinois All State Band, and was invited to be the soloist at the Mid-West Band Clinic held in Chicago, Illinois for three of her four years in high school. The book entitled International Mid-West Band and Orchestra Clinic – The First 50 Years, is a summary of the Mid-West Band Clinic, and a page has been devoted to the accomplishments of Carol and includes a picture of her at age 17.
She married Robert Griswold on August 25, 1951 in Washington D.C. Together they lived many places during his career in the Marine Corps band field. In 1964, they purchased a travel trailer and traveled for fifty years all over North America, forty one of those years being with an Airstream travel trailer. She has written eight books entitled The Griswold’s RV Adventures which tell about their trips during those fifty years. When Bob retired from the Marine Corps, they moved to Orlando, Florida and established a piano tuning and repair business, still playing in bands and singing in choirs. Carol taught cornet and trumpet lessons privately during that time for thirteen years. She and Bob moved to Burnsville, North Carolina in 1984. Carol was a tutor with the Literacy Council in the Yancey County schools for sixteen years. She was also a volunteer at the Reconciliation House and a member of First Baptist Church.
Surviving are their children, Gary Lee Griswold and Kay Lynn Weirich, as well as two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
A service to celebrate Carol’s life will be held at 12:00 noon on Thursday, June 24th at the Western Carolina State Veterans Cemetery in Black Mountain. Rev. Tommy James will officiate. To send online condolences, please visit our website at www.yanceyfuneralservice.com.
