Caraway, Minnie Merle Youngblood (Mrs. Porter M.)
8/3/1995
| Mrs. Minnie Merle Youngblood Caraway was born on July 13, 1900, at Sylvarena, Mississippi, the daughter of James Albert and Samantha Huff Youngblood. Her husband, the Reverend Porter Myers Caraway, preceded her in death. She grew up going to church and Sunday School. Her father, a merchant and farmer, was frequently called on for prayer in worship. She met Porter Caraway in December, 1914, when he was the guest preacher at the Methodist Church in Mendenhall, Mississippi. Two years later, in the summer of 1916, they met again. Over the next three years Minnie Merle completed her education, taught school and worked as an assistant county clerk. Following Porter’s time of service in the navy, they were married December 27, 1919 in the Methodist parsonage at Raleigh, Mississippi. Alter their wedding, the two moved to Sicily Island, Louisiana, where Porter had been appointed to his first pastorate in November of 1919. Minnie Merle had gifts as a public speaker, which she used in her work with the United Methodist Women, known throughout many of those years as the Woman’s Society of Christian Service, and as a church schoolteacher of all age levels. She also loved music and was often called upon as a pianist for church gatherings. It was frequently said of her that she had a kind and gracious spirit that was evidenced by the way she spoke and the expression on her face. With Minnie Merle always by his side, Porter Caraway served fifteen churches over almost forty years. Among the churches were: First Church, Gulfport, Mississippi; First Church, Roswell, New Mexico; First Church, Commerce, Texas; First Church, Harlingen, Texas; Mangum Memorial, Shreveport, Louisiana; First Church, West Monroe, Louisiana; First Church, Lafayette, Louisiana; Elizabeth Sullivan Memorial, Bogalusa, Louisiana; First Church, Pineville, Louisiana; and in his early ministry as well as in his late ministry, he served on two different occasions the First Church of Winnfield, Louisiana. Minnie Merle is survived by her children, LuNell Caraway White and husband, Billy of Ponchatoula; Porter M. Caraway, Jr., and wife, Mary of Shreveport; Dr. James J. Caraway and wife, Carol of Baton Rouge; Mantha Caraway King of Denver, Colorado; and Dr. Stone W. Caraway and wife, Eleanor of Baton Rouge. She had eleven grandchildren and twenty-five great-grandchildren. She died Thursday, August 3, 1995, in Shreveport, Louisiana. |
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| Source: Journal Louisiana Conference, p. 274, By Dr. Stone W. Caraway | |
