Oakdale-Celebration of Life services honoring Carolyn Gill Christian, 88, will be held at 10 o'clock a.m. on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, at Trinity Baptist Church in Oakdale. Rev. Stanley Statham and Greg Strother will officiate. Carolyn will be laid to rest at Hampton Cemetery in Elizabeth immediately following her services.

Carolyn's family will receive friends and visitors at Trinity Baptist Church in Oakdale on Tuesday evening, September 10, 2024, from 5-10 o'clock p.m. Carolyn's visitation will resume on Wednesday morning, September 11, 2024, from 8 o'clock a.m. until time of service.

Carolyn was a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend. She was a faithful wife to her husband Lenton, whom she adored. She loved her family and cherished every memory she made with them. She was a wonderful cook and made a point to cook Sunday dinner for her parents and any of her children and grandchildren who could make it, even though she worked all week and also taught Sunday School and played the piano at church on Sunday. She made the best homemade dumplings and pie crusts, and many of her grandchildren loved helping her roll out the dough for these. The parents weren't sure if she loved the help quite as much as the children loved helping. Carolyn was a woman of strong faith. Over the years she attended and served as piano player for Elizabeth Baptist Church as well as Trinity Baptist Church Oakdale.  Carolyn enjoyed her work as a Human Resource Specialist, eventually retiring from Boise Cascade in DeRidder after transferring there when the Calcasieu Paper Company in Elizabeth closed. She also served on many social and civil committees such as serving as a board member of the First Street Federal Credit Union (formerly Boise Federal Credit Union), serving as a board member for Dry Creek Baptist Camp, and serving as church secretary for EBC and as the W.M.U. Secretary for the Mt. Olive Association. Carolyn loved to travel and was always packed and ready to go somewhere. She and Lenton were able to enjoy traveling when he served in the Navy, and continued as often as possible as their children grew up, instilling this love of travel in them.  When she was younger, she loved to climb trees and spend time outdoors, and she was definitely a "tomboy".  This fearlessness continued into her 80's and her children were forced to hide her ladder to stop her from climbing up and sweeping pine straw off her roof. She had two sons-in-law named Mike. Therefore, she loved to say her favorite son-in-law was Mike. Carolyn was a kind and caring person and will be forever missed and unconditionally loved by all who knew her.

Those left to cherish Carolyn's memory include two daughters, Dana Christian Melder and husband Michael, and Carol Christian Edwards and husband Michael; one sister, Miriam Gill Janies; grandchildren, Michael (Nick), Morgan, Melody, Austin, Ian, Landon, Joey, Logan, Brooke, and Courtney; fifteen great grandchildren; six great-great grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, extended family, and friends.

Carolyn is preceded in death by her parents, L.C. Gill Sr. and Gussie Hall Gill; her husband, Elijah Lenton Christian; one son, Eric Lenton Christian; one brother, L.C. Gill Jr., and one sister, Marie Gill Beeson.

The family would like to express sincere thanks to the wonderful team of St. Joseph Hospice as well as to the caretakers/sitters who were so compassionate and loving to mom over the past few months. May God richly bless you all.

Condolences and words of comfort may be shared with Carolyn's family at www.ardoinfuneralhome.com or on Facebook at Ardoin/Allen Parish Funeral Homes.