Carolyn (Harrell) Outlan

Carolyn Harrell Outlan passed to Heaven from her home on March 1, 2020. A lifelong resident of Collierville, she was born on January 5, 1931, in Memphis, Tennessee.

Services were held at 2 P.M. on Wednesday, March 4, 2020 at Collierville United Methodist Church Sanctuary on the Square. Burial followed in the Magnolia Cemetery at Collierville.

Coca, as she was called by her family, dearly loved her children. Her legacy and love of her life were her children and she considered that there was no higher calling than being a mother.

Growing up, she was there to help with homework, a scraped knee, and all of the other joys and sorrows that comes with being a mom. Coca was famous for her ability to cook, a gift she learned from her mother. Cooking to her meant a full table with family at home. She loved to express her love language through her wonderful homemade dishes. Her homemade mayonnaise was legendary. She loved to make ginger bread men every year for the trick or treaters.

And oh, how much we all loved her tea cakes!

She enjoyed her decorating business, “The Church Mouse”. Some of her hobbies included collecting primitive antiques, weaving on her loom and drying flowers to use in arrangements.

Her father was her hero and she always was her Daddy’s girl.

She was a life-long member of Collierville Methodist Church and over the years was involved in a number of ministries, including her love of music by singing in the choir for many, many years.

Her favorite verses were from Psalm 27,
The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?
I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.

Her family includes children, Bill Cox (Cindy), Melinda Hall, Wright Cox (Cindy), Robert Cox (Nancy), Jim Cox (Dee), William McCarley (Monica), Sheila McCarley, stepsons, Booth Outlan (Janie) and Blair Outlan (Johnna), brother-in-law, Milton Schaeffer, sisters-in-law, Lucia Outlan and Gayle Outlan, grandchildren, Allison Bradford (Paul), William Cox (Claire), Carrington Cox, Will Hall, Virginia Hall, Charles Hall (Laura), Morgan Cox (Lauren), Genna Vann (Fred), Wright Cox (Charlotte), Rushton Cox (Meghan), Elizabeth Cox, Hunter Boehmer (Ruth), and William; and great-grandchildren, Janie, Jack, Wiley, Mary Claire, Brennan, Ethan, Alexander, Harper, Betsy, Daniel, Jonah, and Lucy.

She was preceded in death by her parents, C.H Harrell & Hopsie Harrell, sisters, Martha and Joan, her husband, John Outlan, her grandson, John Wright Hall, son-in-law, Craig Hall and great-grandson, Eli Bradford.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Organ Fund at the Collierville United Methodist Church Sanctuary on the Square will bring her great joy! The address to mail donations is 454 West Poplar Avenue, Collierville, Tennessee 38017.