On Thursday, July 20, 2023, Carolyn Lee Heiden, loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, sister, and friend, entered her eternal home at the age of 85. Carolyn was born in Jackson, Mississippi on June 23, 1938, to Mr. and Mrs. F.B. Lee, and was the youngest of seven children. She graduated from Jackson's Forest Hill High School in 1955, continued her education at Belhaven College for two years, and then graduated with a business degree from Mississippi College in Clinton in 1958. She was a feisty basketball player through high school and some college.

Carolyn caught the eye of her sweetheart, John Louis Heiden, and they were married in 1959.  Together, they raised a family of five girls and had many exciting adventures with them traveling, playing sports, and roaming their 7-acre family home. Carolyn had a thriving needlework shop in Jackson for many years, The Stitching Post, and published 11 counted cross stitch books. She continued to stitch samplers, bookmarks, and gifts for everyone around her up until the week of her death. One would describe Carolyn as a do-er, as she was an avid tennis and bridge player and loved to read, garden, sew, stitch, and support her girls.  She was an active church member and Sunday School teacher, and supported missions locally and internationally. Carolyn and John served on the team of Blackaby Ministries and Texas Baptist Men, where they participated in many mission activities in Canada and South Africa. At her death, she was a member of Morrison Heights Baptist Church in Clinton.

Carolyn was preceded in death by her father, F.B. Lee; her mother, Reba Fuller Lee; her husband of 61 years, John Heiden; her grandson, Micah Griffin; her sisters, Mary Frances Morgan (Joe), Evelyn Krause (Bernie), and Nancy Williams (Billy); and her brothers, Francis B. Lee, III, and Jack Lee (Mary Katherine).  She is survived by her five daughters: Carol Ann Poore (Ted), Laurie Izard (David), Amy Griffin (Wesley), Susan Christman (Doug), and Johnna Coward (Bryant); her sister, Annette McHann (Billy); nine grandchildren: John Poore, Joshua Poore (Lydia), Kate Magee (Chris), Carolyn Gilmer (Brad), Aaron Griffin (Erin), Nathan Griffin, Sarah Avery Christman, Mollie Coward, and Bailey Coward; nine great-grandchildren; and too many sweet nieces and nephews to count.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Morrison Heights Baptist Church or Blackaby Ministries International.

Her celebration of life service is Monday, July 24 at Morrison Heights Baptist Church – visitation from 9 to 11 a.m. and service at 11 a.m. with interment at Lakewood Cemetery in Jackson following the service.