Carolyn O'Neal Tatum Singleton

Carolyn was born on October 15, 1946, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to Montford Webster Tatum and Frances Scruggs Tatum. She grew up in Trenton, Georgia, before moving to Nashville as a teenager, where she met and married the love of her life, Jim. Together they shared nearly 65 years, building a business and a rich life rooted in love, family, and devotion to one another.

Early in their marriage, Carolyn and Jim discovered a beautiful, untouched piece of Tennessee countryside that they would lovingly cultivate into the family homestead they named Red Fern. There they raised their children and over the years, delighted in sharing their private piece of heaven with those they loved most. Carolyn found endless joy in transforming its raw forest into enchanted gardens, hosting friends and family for weddings and retreats, and watching her grandchildren play at Red Fern. She especially loved hosting the magical “firefly gathering” there every year. The place that she and Jim had transformed into their family’s sanctuary ultimately became the place where her life’s journey came gently full circle.

Carolyn had a rare gift for seeing beauty in the ordinary and transforming simple things into something special. Whether creating wedding cakes, preparing memorable meals, decorating a home, or tending the woodland gardens of Red Fern, she poured her heart into everything she created and found genuine joy in making life more beautiful for the people she loved.

She was equally known for her quick wit and wonderful sense of humor. She had an uncanny ability to puncture life’s pretenses with a perfectly timed observation that was equal parts hilarity and profound truth. Her honesty, warmth, and down-to-earth spirit made everyone around her feel comfortable simply being themselves.

Above all else, Carolyn loved her family. She was a devoted wife, loving mother, and adoring grandmother known as “Mimi.” Her grandchildren were the light of her life. Whether welcoming friends to Red Fern, preparing a meal, or gathering around the table, she had a remarkable gift for making everyone feel like family. She made a house feel like “home.”

Those left to honor her memory are her devoted husband, Jim Singleton; her loving children, Greg (Tammy) Singleton and Jamie (Peter) Singleton; her brother, Reid “Pete” (Londa) Tatum; her brother-in-law, Gary (Kathy) Singleton; her cherished grandchildren, Brandon Singleton, Crystal Nyberg, Jason Singleton, Nikolas Singleton, Gregory Price, Drew Stallings, and Ryan Stallings; numerous beloved great-grandchildren; and many dear  cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends whose lives were made forever richer for having been loved by her.

A service to honor her memory will be held Tuesday, August 11, 2026 at Rye’s Chapel Church, 1375 Rye’s Chapel Rd., Southside, TN 37171.  Visitation with the family will be held at 1:00pm with a service at 2:00pm. A processional and burial will follow at Sherwood Cemetery, 1006 Singleton Rd., Dickson, TN 37055.