Obituary of Carol Tuten Mount

CAROL TUTEN MOUNT, age 85, of North Charleston, South Carolina passed away on June 11th, 2019 at her home after a ten-year battle with Alzheimer's Disease. Carol was surrounded by her devoted family. She was born Rachel Carol Tuten on March 26th, 1934 in Blackshear, Georgia. She was the daughter of Lemoul and Ethel (James) Tuten. Carol was a cheerleader who graduated from Waycross High School in 1952. After high school, Carol began a 20-year career with Bell Telephone Systems. She met her husband, Ronald (Ron) Lee Mount, an aspiring professional baseball player in Waycross in 1954. They married that year and have remained together for 64 memorable years until Carol's passing this week. Many people who knew Carol heard her say about her husband often, "He is the best husband...I will follow him wherever he goes." She was truly devoted to "Ronnie"...the love of her life.

After an injury led Ron to trade baseball for college and a new career, Carol continued working full-time and supported Ron through his Business Degree from The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina. Upon his graduation, the president of The Citadel awarded Carol with a PHT diploma...Pushing Husband Through!  Ron began a new career with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) and thus began successive job transfers over the years taking them to Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia, Connecticut, Hawaii, and Louisiana. Along the way, Carol gave birth to three surviving children, Ronald Edward (Ed) Mount, Rhonda Louise Cronan, and Terrel (Terry) Lee Mount. When her husband's career with NCIS took them to Hawaii in 1979, Carol retired from Bell Telephone Systems to focus on homemaking and landscaping of their beautiful Aiea, Hawaii home. In 1988, Ron retired from NCIS, and he and Carol settled into the Coosaw Creek Country Club in North Charleston, South Carolina where Carol took the lead in planning and designing their new retirement home. Over the years, two of their children settled in Colorado and California. However, the miles between the family members were made easier as Carol kept the family ties strong through many letters, phone calls, care packages, and eventually learning to use email.

In her lifetime, Carol enjoyed many hobbies and pastimes. From an early age, she was a consummate seamstress with her Singer sewing machine crafting nearly every dress in her wardrobe and creating matching outfits for her daughter. She became an expert in the art of crochet, creating beautiful afghan blankets of all sizes, shapes, and colors for family and friends. Other hobbies and interests included pottery, outdoor gardening and growing beautiful houseplants, and silk flower arranging, but she was probably best known for her skills in the kitchen! Dinner at Carol's house was often a production of eclectic recipes and dishes from every part of the country she'd lived, and her unique recipes will no doubt live on with family and friends for many years. She had a passion for birds...especially cardinals, hummingbirds, and owls, as one could immediately see when entering her home. In her lifetime, she lovingly created items of beauty and delectable dishes for all those she loved. Her talents, skills, attention to detail, and her ever-caring, servant heart were present in all her activities. 

Carol is survived by: her husband, Ron; their three children (and spouses), Ed (and Teresa) Mount, Rhonda Cronan, and Terry (and Genie) Mount; her sister, Dorothy Kimbrell; her grandchildren, Ashley (and Chad) Gray, Christopher Mount, Sarah (and Justin) Wacker, and Aubrey (and Aaron) Eggiman; and a great grandson, Sammy Gray; and son-in-law, Ben Valdez. Preceding her journey to the Lord are her parents, Lemoul and Ethel Tuten; siblings, Howard (and Louise) Tuten and Jean (and Ivan) Cornelius; and son-in-law, Coleman Cronan.

Carol Mount's family will hold a small, private family service in North Charleston. In lieu of flowers, please feel free to donate in Carol Mount's name to Hospice of Charleston. To make your donation please refer to the Tribute Links tab at the top of the page.

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. Carol's family and friends will miss her always and carry her memory in their hearts forever.

"My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life." Psalm 119:50