Dates
Carolyn Grachia Brock (Minton) was born in Erie, Pennsylvania, Nov. 3, 1926. She was the daughter of a Southern mother Grachia King, and a Canadian father, O. Carlyle Brock. Carolyn has one younger brother, who resides in Jacksonville, Florida. Their mother died when Carolyn was 11 and Carl was four. Their father died in 1987. Carolyn was educated in parochial schools: Villa Maria Academy and Mercyhurst Academy. She also attended Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York and Emerson School of Dramatic Arts in Boston, Massachusetts. She earned her first A.B. degree from the University of Texas at Austin, and a second A.B. degree and an M.A. degree from Angelo State University. Later she earned more graduate hours at U.T. Austin, where she received a D.O.D. Fellowship. She married Robert M. Minton Jr. Dec. 30, 1947, which she said, "Was the smartest decision she ever made in her life." The couple had four children: Cynthia Maureen Spence, Rhonda Carolyn Pope, Robert Brock Minton and Randall Mark Minton. They also have four grandchildren and their spouses: Kenneth Land and his wife, Suzanne, Stephanie Grachia Shull, Cherilyn Acevedo and Tamara Currie and her husband, Chase. There are also seven great-grandchildren: Alyssa Land, Cobey Land, River Shull, Kirsten Grachia Shull, Angelina Acevedo, Carolyn Currie and Lauren Currie. Every election day, Carolyn called her children and grandchildren, "Have you voted Republican yet?" A lifelong Republican, Carolyn was the second president of the Concho Valley Republican Women's Club. She was also the first person to run a district wide phone bank out of Tom Green County: first for Ronald Reagan, later for William P. Clements, Lamar Smith, Drew Darby and others. Carolyn taught English and History at Lee Junior High and English, Social Studies and Special Education at San Angelo Central High School. Other recent memberships included: Pocahontas Chapter, DAR (where she served as Regent, Chairman Division #8), and Texas Historian of TSDAR. She also served on the Executive Boards of Historic San Angelo, Rolling Hills Garden Club, ACH Auxiliary, Angelo Civic Theater, Newtimers, Victory Study Club and many organizations in Midland, where she was founder of the Contemporary Study Club. She is also an Associate Member of Daughters of the Republic of Texas and United Daughters of the Confederacy. Carolyn's Father, O. Carlyle Brock, was involved in many Masonic activities including serving as Imperial Potentate of Shrine (AANOMS) in 1964. During his term of office, he dedicated three of the Burn Centers, the first being in Galveston, Texas. The other two were in Boston and in Cincinnati. Carolyn was present at the Shrine Hospital Board meeting in Phoenix, Arizona when the charter was signed to finance the Burn Centers. The Burn Centers prompted Carolyn's interest in organ donation. She encouraged the Angelo Community Hospital Auxiliary to promote a drive, in which over 2,000 donors signed up. For this project, ACH received the prestigious HAVE Award (Hospital Award for Volunteer Excellence). Carolyn accepted awards in Toronto and Chicago. There were also a number of Texas awards given for this project. Carolyn traveled to over 90 countries during her lifetime, including a trip with an educational delegation to China in 1975. This was before the United States had signed diplomatic relations with China. The changes in China in the past 27 years are unbelievable. Interest was so great that Carolyn gave over 50 presentations in Texas during 1975 and 1976. Family visitation will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 25, at Johnson's Funeral Home. Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 26, in Johnson's Funeral Home chapel with Portis Ribble officiating. Burial will follow in Fairmount Cemetery. Memorials may be made in Carolyn's name to Hospice of San Angelo