Carolyn Snow Sawyer

Carolyn Elizabeth Snow Sawyer, aged 74, of Fairhope, departed this earthly life on Sunday, September 7th at her home, following a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. Carolyn will be remembered for her vibrant smile, her positive spirit, her cheerful humor, and her steadfast faith in the Lord and His providence. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

The eldest daughter of Edward and Ida Mae Snow, Carolyn was born and spent her early years in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Carolyn and her family also lived in Hartselle, Alabama and Pearlington, Mississippi, moving to support her father’s career as a NASA engineer. As a young woman, Carolyn enjoyed playing the flute, sailing, and being a cheerleader. She graduated from Bay High in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi in 1969, before enrolling at the University of Alabama, where she majored in Interior Design and joined the Alpha Gamma chapter of the Delta Zeta sorority. During her college years, Carolyn came to know the Lord as her Savior and met her husband, Jack Sawyer of Fairhope, Alabama. Carolyn and Jack were married in 1974 and spent the early years of their marriage in Mobile, Alabama; Jackson, Mississippi; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as Jack worked as a teacher and pursued seminary studies to become a Presbyterian pastor. During those years, Carolyn worked as an interior designer, specializing in both residential and commercial design.

Carolyn and Jack were married for forty-five years before Jack’s untimely death in 2019. During those years, they became the proud parents of four children, each of whom Carolyn treasured immensely. They lived for ten years in New Zealand, where Jack pastored two different churches, before returning to the United States, where they lived and served Orthodox Presbyterian churches in New Rochelle, New York; Forest, Mississippi; and Pineville, Louisiana. While her children were young, Carolyn served the family as a homemaker before restarting her interior design career in 1997. She was a long-time, active member of the South Central chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers, serving for many years and in many positions, including as chapter president. She also served as a delegate to the National Council for Interior Design Qualification’s annual meeting; a member of the Louisiana Coalition for Interior Design, a liaison to the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office, and long-term member of the the Louisiana State Board of Examiners of Interior Designers. She was passionate about advancing interior design and protecting its professional integrity. Over the years, she received numerous professional awards and accolades recognizing her exceptional work and dedicated service to her profession.

In 2020, Carolyn retired to Fairhope, Alabama, fulfilling a dream that she and Jack had cherished together. Her years in Fairhope were some of her happiest, as she became an active member of Eastern Shore Presbyterian Church, spent time with her children and grandchildren, worked enthusiastically in her garden, and joined the local chapter of the P.E.O. Sisterhood. After a lifetime of traveling, she truly felt that Fairhope was home, and thrived in her role as a grandmother, or “Nana,” to her growing brood of grandchildren.

Carolyn was preceded in death by her older brother, James Wallace Snow; her parents, Edward Cortland Snow, Jr. and Ida Mae Markle Snow; and her husband, the Rev. Jack Winthrope Sawyer, Jr.

Those left to cherish Carolyn’s memory include her four children, Katherine (Michael) Robinson, David (Katie) Sawyer, Daniel (Natalie) Sawyer, and Hannah Sawyer; sisters Elizabeth “Cheney” (Phil) Millholland and Priscilla (Terry) Dickson; eight grandchildren, Tirzah, Jack, Karis, Carter, James, Jonah, Oliver, and Christian; her beloved beagle, Clementine; nieces, nephews, and numerous other family and friends.

Friends and family are invited to join Carolyn’s loved ones for visitation at the Fairhope Yacht Club on Thursday, September 11 from 5 to 7:00pm. Services celebrating Carolyn’s life will be held at Eastern Shore Presbyterian Church on Friday, September 12, 2025 at 10:00am, with the Rev. Pat Davey officiating.