Carolyn Davidson Fincher

Carolyn Faye Davidson Fincher, 75, of Fayetteville passed away on Friday, December 15, 2017.

Carolyn made her appearance into this world on January 11, 1942.  She was the middle child of three sisters.  Their dad was the preacher at the Baptist church in Columbus, Georgia, and Carolyn spent her entire childhood there, graduating from Jordan High School in 1960.

In 1963, she married an army officer, Jerry Wells Fincher.  They set about the nomadic life that so many military families know and accept as part of the call: Ft Benning, Ft Campbell, Ft. Leavenworth, Ft. Bragg and more.  

The greatest blessings of the marriage were their two sons, Sean in 1966 and Steve in 1974.  For eleven years of marriage, Carolyn dutifully followed where the Commander in Chief pointed, until they returned to Fayetteville in 1974, shortly before Steve’s birth.  At that point in the journey, Carolyn did that thing for which she became known for all her remaining years, both personally and professionally: she made a decision and she stuck to it.  She decided that wherever thereafter the Army sent Jerry, he would go with the family’s blessing.  Mom, though, would send down roots into the soils of Fayetteville for the sake of the stability that it would bring to the boys.  And, indeed, there they stayed, even to now. 

In addition to stability, Carolyn promised her sons two more things: “good teeth and a college education.”  Knowing both of those promises required additional money, Carolyn obtained a real estate license in 1978.  She began working at Homeowners Ltd. Real Estate under the leadership of Fayetteville icon, J.P. Riddle.  Setting a pace for strong female leadership in the local business community, Carolyn found herself three years later as the General Manager of the company.

In 1988, she partnered with Mr. Riddle in a real estate company named Premier Properties.  It was here that she displayed consistently good decision-making and execution.  As managing partner, she deserved much of the credit for guiding Premier into one of Fayetteville’s top producing real estate firms.  The sustainment of that success brought profitability and recognition.  In 2006, Methodist College awarded her as Outstanding Woman Entrepreneur of the Year.  Her ReMax Premier franchise was given Platinum status in 2005 and 2006.  The ReMax “Chairman’s Club Award” followed in 2007.  Over 25 years of excellence brought local recognition in 2013 when her firm was voted #1 in the Fayetteville Observer’s Reader’s Choice Award.

As is too often the case, her first marriage did not survive the years and the distances, but Carolyn never gave in to hopelessness.  In those years that followed, Carolyn met the newest general manager of ReMax Homeowners, Harry J. Sherrill, Sr.  A merging of not only the businesses, but also the hearts, followed as they married in June of 1994.  In these last few years, much of their time was spent watching sunsets on the waterway at Myrtle Beach.  Carolyn and Harry remained together and in love until that moment on December 15, 2017 when Carolyn exhaled her final breath.

She was preceded in death by a son, Stephen Shane Fincher.

She is survived by her husband, Harry J. Sherrill, Sr.; two sisters, Cathy Davidson Stewart and husband, William of Columbus, Ga. and Janis Davidson Parker and husband, Gene of Trussville, Ala.; a son, Sean Scott Fincher and wife, Jennifer; two stepsons, Harry James Sherrill, Jr. and wife, Kimberly and Rodney Sherill and wife, Kimberly; eight grandchildren, Andrew Davidson Fincher, David Scott Fincher, Jensen Sherill Birkholz and husband, James, Kendall Faith Sherrill, Cameron Smith Sherrill, Dustin Mark Brewington, Annabeth Blair Sherrill and Ellison-Charles Jamison Sherrill; and one great-grandchild, Emmitt James Birkholz.

The family will receive friends from 9:30 am to 10:45 am Wednesday, December 20, 2017 in Village Baptist Church immediately followed by a memorial service at 11 am with Dr. Jay Coker officiating.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation, 101 Robeson Street, Suite Suite 106, Fayetteville, NC 28301.

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