Caroline was born on September 3, 1932, in Lockland, Ohio to the late Louis Washington and Alice Ivery Cunningham. She graduated from Kimball High School in 1951, where she was a drum majorette and met her future husband, Charles Edward Leftwich. After graduation, she worked at Grace Hospital in Welch, and for E.F. Fields, the President of Cincinnati Gas and Electric. She was proud to help her brothers George and Matt gain employment with the company where both were life-long employees.

With West Virginia wild flowers in hand, she and Charles were married on March 21, 1957 in her mother-in-law's living room in Kimball, West Virginia. Their union lasted 54 years until his passing in 2011 and produced four children. As a military wife, she was used to low pay and long hours. She travelled around the world, and enjoyed living in San Juan, Puerto Rico and Athens, Greece. She loved to travel and her trip to the Holy Lands was one of her most memorable.

Throughout her life she enjoyed volunteering and helping others. During the Vietnam War, many military wives did not have experience running a household. Caroline taught her circle of friends how to balance budgets, pay bills and drive a car. She also worked in nursing for thirty years and was a dedicated and much loved care-giver. She was an avid lover of the arts, music and nature. She was the rock of her family, both firm and gentle. She was a compassionate and devoted mother and her grandchildren were the song of her heart.

She was a competitive bowler, even when playing on the Wii with her grandkids. She volunteered with the Girl Scouts, served as team mom to countless youth baseball, football and soccer teams. She loved baking and was known around town for her five flavor pound cake and her home-made waffles were always a hit. She was a life-long Pittsburgh Steelers fan and loved to tease her Dallas Cowboy loving husband and children whenever the Steelers won and Dallas lost.

She accepted Jesus at an early age and was active in her church, United Metropolitan, for more than thirty years, as an usher, a member of the Senior Choir, and the Senior Missionaries.

She passed away on Wednesday, November 27, 2019. In addition to her husband, Caroline was preceded in death by five siblings: Mary Cunningham, Ella Anthony, George Cunningham, Walter Cunningham and Lewis Cunningham.

She is survived by her four children, Charles Edward Leftwich Jr., Cecil (Mia) Leftwich, Carol Leftwich (Phil Hayden), and Carlton Leftwich; nine grandchildren: Ryan (Alex) Scott, Dominique Rhodes, Charles Edward, III, , Cameron, Caroline Elizabeth, Cecil Jr., Meredith, Austin Leftwich and McKenna Hayden; two great grandchildern, Xavier Scott and Lauren Thompson; seven siblings: Sallie Haygood, Sara Plummer, Matthew Cunningham, Samson Cunningham, John Cunningham, James Cunningham and Francis White; and a host of Cunningham/Leftwich/Ryan in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins and her protective dog, Comet.

The family would like to thank the staff at Novant Health and Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center for their compassion and professionalism in the care of our mother.

Funeral service will be held at 12:00 PM on Thursday, December 5, 2019 at United Metropolitan Baptist Church. The family will greet friends one hour prior to the service. Interment will be in Salisbury National Cemetery.