Carothers Funeral Home

04/20/2026

6 Reasons Prepaid Funerals Are the Best Gift
#6. You get to choose exactly what you want.
Pre-planning your funeral allows you to carefully consider your options and make the choices that ensure that your life is remembered and celebrated the way that you want. Even if you tell your family about your end-of-life wishes, they may not remember or agree. The only way to know for sure that you will get a cremation with a celebration of life by the lake or a New Orleans-style jazz procession is by planning in advance.

Click the link below to learn more 👇 — and if it feels right for you, you can easily schedule an appointment online or call us.
We’re here for you.

https://www.dignitymemorial.com/pre-planning/funeral-costs/prepaid-funeral-plans-make-the-best-gift

04/20/2026

Hi, I'm Brittany! An apprentice funeral director, student, and mother who values compassion and service, I take pride in caring for my family at home and supporting the families we serve with empathy, respect, and understanding. Outside of my professional life, I enjoy gardening and spending time outdoors, where I find peace. Thank you for allowing us to serve your family.

04/13/2026

Unlike cats, we don’t get nine lives…
Which is a real shame, because most of us could use at least one do‑over for our teenage haircut choices alone.
But in all seriousness, we only get one life — one beautiful, imperfect, meaningful life — and it deserves to be lived fully and remembered well.
At Carothers, we’re honored to help families celebrate every chapter of that one precious life.

04/13/2026

My name is Lisa Harmon, and I have been married to my wonderful husband, Jamie, for 29 years. I am a mother of two daughters, a proud MiMi to four wonderful grandchildren, and blessed with an amazing son‑in‑law.

I have been part of this company for 19 years and currently serve as the Office Manager for three funeral homes and one cemetery. My work is rooted in compassion, organization, and a deep commitment to the families we serve.

In April of 2021, I experienced the heartbreaking loss of my own daughter. I have sat in the same seat where so many families sit — overwhelmed, grieving, and searching for someone who will guide them with sincerity, knowledge, and genuine care. That experience strengthened my purpose: to ensure every family who walks through our doors feels supported, understood, and never alone during their most devastating moments.

I am a member of Grace Baptist Church in Mount Holly, and my greatest joy comes from spending time with my family — especially our cookouts where everyone gathers together. Family is my foundation, and it shapes the way I care for others every day.

04/07/2026

At Carothers Funeral Homes, we are continually reminded of the importance of caring for ourselves and for one another. Good health encompasses physical, emotional, and spiritual well‑being, and it is strengthened through compassion, connection, and access to supportive resources.

We encourage our community to take a moment today to reflect on the practices that promote wellness — rest, nourishment, meaningful relationships, and seeking support when needed.

We remain committed to serving our families with dignity, respect, and care, and we honor all who work tirelessly to support the health of our community.

— Carothers Funeral Homes

04/06/2026

My name is Harry Wentz. I began my career in Funeral Service in 1974 with Carothers Funeral Home and became a licensed funeral director in 1976. I feel incredibly fortunate to continue to serve with a dedicated team that supports and cares for the families that we are privileged to serve.

04/05/2026

03/19/2026

This week for we are featuring Tracie Rankin

* Thank you, Tracie, for being an outstanding role model for women and for being a meaningful part of our Women’s History Month celebration. Your strength, compassion, and dedication continue to inspire us. *

Reflecting on Women's History Month, I am reminded of the countless women who broke barriers, shattered expectations, and paved the way for the opportunities we have today. Their legacy is not just one of monumental achievement, but of profound courage. I believe, the keys to true strength and growth: Humble, Vulnerable, and Uncomfortable.

Be Humble

To be humble is to recognize that we stand on the shoulders of giants. Our successes are not ours alone; they are built on the sacrifices and struggles of those who came before us. Humility is our connection to that history and our commitment to the future. It’s about listening more than we speak, learning from every person we meet regardless of their rank or position, and having the grace to lift others as we climb. True confidence isn’t loud; it’s the quiet strength that comes from knowing your value while actively valuing others.

Be Vulnerable

We are often taught that leadership requires an unshakable exterior. I disagree. Vulnerability is not a weakness; it is the birthplace of connection and trust. To be vulnerable is to have the courage to be authentic—to admit when you don't have the answer, to ask for help, to share your own struggles. It’s in those moments that we give others permission to be human, too. It’s how we build teams that are not just effective but are truly there for one another.

Be Uncomfortable

Finally, I encourage you to actively seek to be uncomfortable. Comfort is the enemy of progress. The moments of greatest growth in my life and career have been the ones where I was in over my head, where I took the job I wasn't sure I was ready for, where I raised my hand in a room full of dissenting opinions. Getting uncomfortable means you are challenging yourself. It means you are pushing boundaries, learning new skills, and refusing to settle. It is in that space of discomfort that you discover just how capable and resilient you truly are.

Let’s honor our past by being humble enough to learn from it, vulnerable enough to lead with our whole hearts, and uncomfortable enough to forge the future.

03/16/2026

Ronnie Worley is a native of Cramerton and began working for Carothers Funeral Home in 1982. He attended Gupton Jones College of Mortuary Science and graduated in 1985. He joined the North Carolina State Highway Patrol in 1988 and retired after 30 years. Ronnie is married to his wife, Lynne, of 37 years, and they have one son, Andrew and daughter in law, Dr. Emily Worley. Ronnie joined the staff of Carothers Funeral Homes in January 2025 and has been a licensed Funeral Director for 40 years.

03/11/2026

In honor of , we are going to be featuring strong women that help shape our community all month long. This week we are featuring Maddie Kirlin:

Maddie Kirlin is a native of Gastonia, North Carolina, where her love of community, creativity, and history first took root.

She attended the University of Colorado Boulder, earning her undergraduate degree in Italian before continuing her studies at Middlebury College in Vermont, where she completed a master’s degree in Italian linguistics. After graduate school, Maddie spent several years living in Italy, deepening her connection to language, culture, and traditional craft.

Eventually she returned home to Gastonia and became deeply involved in her community. Over the years she has served as Chairwoman of the Board for the Gaston County Museum of Art & History, President of the Gaston County Jaycees, and as a board member for both the American Red Cross and the Animal League of Gaston County. She continues to share her love of traditional craft as an active member of the Historic Village Artisans, where she demonstrates traditional candle making at the Historic Village in Dallas, NC.

In 2017, Maddie survived a life-threatening brain hemorrhage that required emergency craniotomy surgery. The injury, resulting from domestic violence, permanently changed the course of her life. She lives with ongoing PTSD and neuropathy, challenges that require strength, patience, and daily resilience.

Today, Maddie is first and foremost a mother to two young children, whom she raises with deep intention, love, and care. When her health allows, she continues her creative work making candles and soaps, finding healing and meaning in the quiet rituals of craft.

Her message to other women:

You don’t have to wait for permission to step into your own life.

You are allowed to change.
You are allowed to start over.
You are allowed to create a life that feels true to you — even if no one around you understands it yet.

Strength doesn’t always look like doing more. Sometimes it looks like healing. Sometimes it looks like protecting your peace and choosing a different path than the one you expected.

If you are surviving something difficult — seen or unseen — know this: your story is not over.

Be the light. In a dark world, kindness shines the brightest.

03/11/2026

National Funeral Director’s Day is a moment to recognize the compassionate professionals who walk beside families during life’s most difficult moments. Funeral directors provide guidance, comfort, and steady support when it’s needed most, ensuring every life is honored with dignity and care. Today, we celebrate their dedication, their quiet strength, and the meaningful work they do to help families find peace and remembrance.

03/06/2026

https://www.dignitymemorial.com/funeral-homes/north-carolina/stanley/carothers-funeral-home/7277