Cheryl Downs Carver passed away on May 9, 2024.
Funeral services will be held on May 13 at First Baptist Church with visitation at 9:30 a.m. with a service to follow at 11 a.m. Rev Bryon Pickering will officiate with burial at Glenwood Cemetery under the direction of Stricklin King Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be George Jennings, Gil Berry, Hunter Barrow, Larry Davis, Michael Lewis and Pat Rush.
Cheryl, born on June 24, 1943 in Yazoo City, was the youngest of two children of Lida Woods Downs and Grady Ward Downs. She was the granddaughter of Pearlie Wiltcher Woods and William Curtis Woods of Benton in Yazoo County and Emma Bell Wiltshire Downs and James Alexander Downs of Attala County, MS. She was a life-long resident of Yazoo City and County and proudly called Yazoo County her home.
She attended Yazoo City High School, Hinds Community College and Delta State College before marrying Sam Carver in 1963. They were married for 38 years prior to his death in 2000. They had two cherished sons, Quint Carver and Brian Carver.
She was a life-long member of First Baptist Church and loved her Lord, her church and church family. She worked as a secretary at McGraw Curran Lumber Company, Southern Bag Corporation and Mississippi Chemica, where she retired after 35 years as a professional secretary. In 1980, she was recognized for passing a six-part CPS exam, becoming a Certified Professional Secretary with National Securities’ International.
During her high school years, she was an active member of the Girls’ Auxiliary and Rainbow Girls and a choir member in church, high school and at Kinds Community College.
She was predeceased by her parents and husband, Sam L. Carver. Survivors include sons and wives, Quint and Sandee Carver of Benton and Brian and Kim Carver of Terry; brother, Bill Downs; and nephew, Jeremy Downs. She was also close to her husband’s family-sisters-in-love, Carole Milner and Betty Harris of Brandon and brothers-in-law, Kirk Carver of Benton and Barry and Linda Carver of Ringgold, GA along with many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Cheryl enjoyed her retirement years by traveling to Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, Nova Scotia, the Canadian Rockies, England, Ireland, Italy, Israel, Egypt, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Panama, South America as well as multiple shorter U.S. trips with family and friends. She made two extended summer cross-country U.S. camping trips in a travel trailer to the West Coast as far northwest as Washington state and East Coast as far northeast as Maine where she enjoyed seeing God’s beautiful creation off the beaten path.
She also enjoyed visiting with family and friends, music, reading, gardening, exercising, camping, traveling and playing dominoes and remained active during her retirement years. Other hobbies included sewing, embroidery, crocheting, and genealogy. She was interested and involved in several political races and enjoyed learning about the election process, and was active in several political election campaigns. She volunteered in various church ministries, including the Christian Service Center and the Manna House. A favorite personal ministry included regularly visiting residents of nursing homes, where she met many new friends.
She served as secretary of the Board of Directors of the MCC Employees Federal Credit Union, and later served as secretary of the Manna House Board of Directors representing First Baptist Church.
She particularly enjoyed remaining in touch with her cousins and extended family, high school classmates (Class of 1961) and former Mississippi Chemical co-workers, helping to plan and organize class reunions and luncheons for classmates, former Mississippi Chemica co-workers or family members. It was not unusual for her to launch a search for an unfound classmate or co-worker until they were located and invited to the latest luncheon or reunion.
In lieu of flowers, friends may wish to donate to First Baptist Church at 328 Grand Ave., Yazoo City, MS 39194.
