Carolyn Burgess, 75, passed away on Thursday, August 13, 2026. A Celebration of Life Service will be held Friday, August 21, 2026, at 11 am at Community Baptist Church. Interment will follow at Doris Miller Memorial Park, Waco, Texas under the direction of Griffin Mortuary. Visitation will be held Thursday, August 20, 2026, from 3 pm to 5 pm at Griffin Mortuary. Carolyn Burgess, a beloved mother, grandmother, sister, friend, and servant of god, was born on August 24, 1950, in Waco, Texas, to the late Henry L. Yancey and Herbie Jean Yancey. Carolyn was a woman of strength, compassion, faith, and dedication. She graduated from A.J. Moore High School and went on to attend Prairie View A&M University, where she earned her Master’s degree in Social Work. 

Carolyn devoted more than 30 years of her life to serving others as a social worker with STAR Care in Lubbock, Texas. Her commitment to helping others was not simply a career—it was a calling. If you knew Carolyn, you knew that her daughters, Tiffiny and Ashley, and her grandchildren were her life. She loved her family deeply and took great pride in being a mother and grandmother. Her children and grandchildren brought her immense joy, and she cherished every moment spent with them. 

Carolyn was also a woman of faith and service. She was a devoted member of Community Baptist Church in Lubbock, where she faithfully served her church family. She was also a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. 

Carolyn was preceded in death by her beloved parents, Henry L. Yancey and Herbie Jean Yancey, as well as her paternal and maternal grandparents. 

Those left to cherish Carolyn’s beautiful memory include her loving daughters, Tiffiny Walton (Charles) of Lubbock, Texas, and Ashley Burgess of Lubbock, Texas; her grandchildren, Ashton, Taylor, Ayden, and Taliyah, all of Lubbock; and her children’s father, Ocie Burgess of Lubbock. She is also survived by her sister, Janice McDowell (Michael) of Waco, Texas; her brother, Henry Yancey Jr. (Pamela) of St. Augustine, Florida; and her niece and nephews,Nae-Nae, Shea, Mike-Mike, Adrienne, and Marquis. She is also survived by her best friend, Lillie Rogers; close family friends, Melanie and Charles Luckey, Mary Culbert and Denease Hearn of Lubbock; along with a host of family and friends.