Sylvia Carroll Revis

Sylvia Ann Carroll Revis, 89, passed away peacefully on May 7, 2026, at Fleshers Fairview Health Care Center in Fairview, NC. She was loved and cared for there for the last four and a half years of her life, after strokes and advancing dementia took away her memory, her independence, and her cherished home and gardens. Until the day she died, she still found love, joy, and laughter in visits from family and friends, and was comforted most of all by her treasured “puppies.”

Sylvia was preceded in death by her former husband, Thomas Carroll Revis; her parents, Christopher Wade Carroll, Sr., and Ann Hinyard Carroll; her brother, Christopher Wade Carroll, Jr.; and her brother-in-law, Dr. Grady S. Clinkscales, Jr. She is survived by her beloved sister, Peggy Carroll Clinkscales; her son, Alan Carroll Revis; her daughter, Allyson Carroll Revis Hettrick (Jonathan); granddaughter, Rebecca Carroll Hettrick; granddaughter, Kiana Browne; grandson, Elijah Carroll Revis; nephew, Scott Carroll (Jamie), niece, Courtney Clinkscales (Ashley), and many more extended family members.

Sylvia – or “Sylvia Ann,” as she was called in her younger years – was born on January 31, 1937, in Hallsboro, a small town in the southeastern corner of North Carolina. She has strong family roots in Riegelwood, NC, and always referred to the area as “down home.” Her parents moved to Asheville, NC, when she was quite young. Although she lived in South Carolina and Georgia in the early years of her marriage, she soon found her way back to the mountains of western North Carolina, where she lived the rest of her life. She was a proud 1955 graduate of Lee Edwards High School (now Asheville High); she served on her class reunion committee for decades and treasured spending time with the lifelong friends she made there.

She was a devoted mother, and her children were her pride and joy. She was always involved in their school and extracurricular activities: volunteering on the PTA, teaching crafts, hosting parties, and attending every ball game and choral performance. As her children grew older, she returned to work in bookkeeping, tax preparation, and office management, retiring after many years at Gennett Lumber Company. In her retirement, she delighted in spending time with and doting on her grandchildren: Rebecca, Kiana, and Elijah.

Sylvia was a strong, spunky, independent, and passionate woman. She was kind, gentle, accepting, and welcoming to everyone she met… and she loved a good joke or silly prank. Infinitely creative and talented, she excelled in any craft that caught her interest, including sewing, quilting, embroidery, wreath-making, ceramics, traditional mountain crafts, and so many more. She loved to garden, and each of her homes was surrounded by beautiful flowers and artistic landscaping, all of her own design and labor of love. She had a special place in her heart for all of God’s creatures, both in the wild and in her home. She adored feeding and watching birds, along with the squirrels and “boomers” that often visited her back deck. She had many family dogs, cats, and other pets throughout her life, and she had a particularly special bond with her Cavalier King Charles Spaniels: Bella and Bailey.

Cooking, baking, and hospitality were in her blood. She loved inviting friends, family, and loved ones into her home, and was always up for a party. Her neighbors remember her as the first person to welcome them to their new homes, often with a warm batch of cookies. She also loved hosting gatherings at her home away from home – Lake Lure, NC. The family’s cozy lakeside home holds thousands of joyous memories and a few heartbreaking losses. Generations of family and guests enjoyed taking boat rides, swimming, water-skiing, sharing delicious meals, playing “liar” poker, laughing and telling tall tales.

Sylvia was a faithful Christian in her study of God’s word, in worship and in community, and in her continual service to others. She found her church home at Fairview Christian Fellowship, where she lived out her faith and calling to nurture, visit, host, and especially feed all the members of her church family and community. The annual church picnics and swim parties she hosted at Lake Lure were amazing and unforgettable… as was Sylvia herself.

We will celebrate and honor Sylvia’s life in a memorial service at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 13th at Fairview Christian Fellowship (596 Old US Highway 74, Fairview, NC 28730), with a reception to follow. All are welcome.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in Sylvia’s memory to Fairview Christian Fellowship (fairviewfellowship.com), Root Cause Farm (rootcausefarm.org), or Fleshers Fairview Health Care Center’s Employee Appreciation Fund (fleshers.net).