Kathryn Carol Woodlee Arnold, 68, of Franklin, NC, passed away Sunday, February 4, 2024, following a brief illness.

Carol was born in Columbia, SC, to the late Thomas Baxter and Duaine Meadows Woodlee. She was a member of the Franklin Church of Christ. Carol Arnold is a product of Macon County Schools, who devoted her whole life to educating our young people. She attended Iotla School and graduated from Franklin High School in 1973. In 1974, she married Jerry Arnold and they have been married 49 years. The Arnolds together have over 71 years working in the North Carolina public school system, most of them serving the children and community of Macon County.

Carol believed in education. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education, a Master of Arts in Education, Six Year Educational Degree, and holds the following educational licenses: Early Childhood, Middle Grade, Mentor, Curriculum Specialist, Principal, and Superintendent Licenses; all are current still today.

Carol worked for both Swain and Macon County; and was the recipient of the Macon County Teacher of the Year Award in 1984. In Macon County, she worked as a teacher from August 1978 to June 1998; served on the Macon County Board of Education, twice, from December 1998 to December 2002 and then later from December 2020 to December 2022; and on a Title I/Federal Programs Contract for Macon County Schools from August 2014 to November 2020. She worked as the Exceptional Children Director for Macon County and in the Central Office Executive Program at the University of Chapel Hill. She was an Ed/Consultant for the NC Department of Public Instruction, serving Region 8 and as an Education Mediator for Region 8. Arnold worked to help the future of education serving as an Adjunct Professor at Western Carolina University. She worked as the Associate Superintendent for Clay County Schools and went on to finish her educational career as a Contract Consultant for Macon County Schools, advising the district on Federal Education Programs.

She is survived by her husband, Jerry Arnold; son, Thomas Jason Arnold of Franklin, NC; sister, Kim Langley (Tim) of Anderson, SC; brother Richard Woodlee (Kathleen) of Knoxville, TN; and a special niece, Jessi Langley (Chris) of Sandy Springs, GA. She is also survived by numerous other nieces, nephews, cousins, and all her extended family in the Macon County School System. Carol had two very special pets surviving also, her dog, Harley; and her "grandcat", Ellie.

The family will receive friends at Macon Funeral Home on Thursday, February 8, from 2pm to 3pm.

A celebration of life will be held at 3pm in the Chapel of Macon Funeral Home on Thursday, February 8. Rev. Mark Bishop and Pastor Radford Penland will officiate.

In honoring Carol's love of children with special needs, the family requests any memorial donations be made to the Special Olympics of Macon County, C/O Jennifer Garrett, Macon County Health Department, 1830 Lakeside Dr., Franklin, NC 28734.

Online condolences can be made at www.maconfuneralhome.com.

Macon Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.