Carletta Stancil Sawyer |
Carletta Stancil Sawyer
Carletta Stancil Sawyer was born Aug. 9, 1916, and died Aug. 3, 2007. She married Henry Claude Sawyer on Nov. 14, 1937.
| Carletta's children with Henry Claude Sawyer |
| Henry Claude Sawyer Jr. |
| John Michael Sawyer |
Carletta Stancil, John Archer Stancil and Margaret Stancil
Family archives
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Carletta Stancil, youngest child of John and Pinetta Stancil, was born Aug. 9, 1916, in Kenly, North Carolina. She had black hair and hazel eyes.
She remembered a telephone hanging on the wall. Their special ring was: 1, 2, 3 rings all short.
Every Saturday afternoon John drove to Kenly. Carletta looked forward to these trips. She recalled shopping at Grizzard's General Store and Fulgham's Drug Store. Miss Mary, at the Hardware Store, enjoyed Carletta's visits. She let Carletta sit in the office while her Dad shopped.
Carletta was close to her cousin, Vazelle, Uncle George's daughter. She spent one night with her. Eva sent them to Aunt Esther's house to borrow something for her.
Alvin teased Carletta by saying, "Is that one of Harvey Parson's children?"
Carletta responded, “I'm one of Estelle Godwin's, do you see any favor?" This ended the teasing. One of Carletta's important jobs was keeping the weeds pulled in the garden. She helped her ma gather the vegetables and assisted in canning them. Carletta enjoyed picking huckleberries that Pinettie made into pies.
Carletta was taught to drive at 13, by her brothers Millard and Kermit. She drove a 1929 Model A Ford. It was dark blue, had four doors, and two full seats.
When Carletta was 14, her jobs included driving her pa's truck to pick up hired hands in Kenly. The laborers were paid by the day. She picked up both blacks and whites. Carletta was a good tobacco hand. She learned to hand tobacco at an early age. She progressed to stringing the tobacco on sticks.
As she got a bit older she drove the mule to truck the tobacco to the barn from the field. Croppers broke off the ripe tobacco leaves and placed them in a trailer. Taking the trailer to the barn was referred to as trucking tobacco. Carletta drove a school bus when she was 16, for two years. She did not have a driver's license; none were required then. Carletta recalled there was only one extra low gear on the bus.
Carletta grew up attending Center Ridge Presbyterian Sunday School and Holly Springs Free Will Baptist Church. Carletta graduated from Glendale High School in 1934. She was the Valedictorian and gave an important speech on graduation night. The night after her pa died. Her English teacher was very supportive, assuring her she would be behind the curtain and prompt her if needed. Carletta was flawless.
“If you mess up I will be right behind you to prompt you.”
Carletta left for Lynchburg, Virginia, right after graduating. She lived with Buddy and attended a business school there. She graduated and moved to Durham. Carletta lived with Martha to start with. Her first position was with Auto Finance Company. She moved into her own apartment. Then she went to work for the Durham City Schools. She worked there for 21 years. She was the administrator in charge of Federal Grants.
Carletta met and fell in love with Henry Claude Sawyer. They were married in Martha and Bruce's living room, at her home on Wake Forest Road.
Martha's minister from the Christian Church on Holloway Street married them on Nov. 14, 1937.
Carletta was given a bridal shower a few days before her marriage. She tripped on a curb. She was taken to the hospital and had to have several stitches on her instep. Carletta's wedding attire was a wine suit with matching purse and shoes. She cut her suede shoes so her foot would fit. Henry wore a dark blue suit. They left for their honeymoon in Henry's 2-door Ford sedan. They stayed for four or five days at a hotel in Greensboro, N.C.
They lived in Carletta’s apartment until their house was built. Carletta was a bookkeeper for Shaw Paint and Wall Paper Company at 406 Morgan, Durham.
Henry Claude Sawyer was born Aug. 15, 1942, and Johnny Michael Sawyer Sr. was born April 18, 1946.
Carletta was a member of the Calvary United Methodist Church and the Johnnie Bowen Sunday School Class. For many years she worked for the Durham Public School system as a payroll administrator. Carletta was also a successful real estate and stock market investor.
Carletta loved music and dancing. She often danced the Charleston around the house with flair. Her husband Henry did not dance at this time. She always had hopes of playing the piano and purchased one. Henry took lessons for a year but never enjoyed playing. Carletta bought Johnny a trumpet and he spent some time in the Junior High school band.
Carletta finally convinced Henry to join her in square dancing. They danced for many years.
Henry died May 22, 2001, at Duke Hospital in Durham.
In 2002, Carletta had heart surgery and moved to Brookshire Nursing Center. Over the years, many friends and friends stopped by to visit. Carletta used her telephone to stay in touch with those who could not visit in person. Carletta had a keen memory of people and events. She shared a wealth of family history, making the past relevant for us today.
Carletta died at 90 on Aug. 3, 2007, at Brookshire Nursing Center in Hillsborough.
She is buried in Woodlawn Memorial Park in Durham, North Carolina.
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