Carolyn Sammis Cross
August 29, 1942 ~ August 10, 2025
Born in:
Providence, Rhode Island
Resided in:
Reston, Virginia
Carolyn Sammis Cross, 82, passed away peacefully on Sunday, August 10, 2025. She was born on August 29, 1942, in Providence, Rhode Island. While she lived most of her life in Stuart, Florida, and then Loudon, Tennessee, Carolyn was a true New Englander at heart.
Blessed with a beautiful soprano voice, Carolyn attended the Hartt School of Music for a time to study opera. She later embarked on a career as an Inflight Hostess with TWA, a role she fondly remembered as one of the most joyful chapters of her life during the golden age of travel.
Upon moving to Florida in the 1970s, she became a beloved presence on the stage of The Barn Theatre, playing lead roles in many musicals. She was also a soloist at All Saints Episcopal Church in Jensen Beach—where her descants left a lasting impression, and many still recall the first time they heard her sing.
When she wasn’t center stage, Carolyn could often be found on the water. Boating was one of her greatest joys—whether aboard a yacht in Narragansett Bay, sailing through the Bahamas, or cruising Tellico Lake on a pontoon. After moving to Loudon, Tennessee, Carolyn, Dick, and their beloved dog, Puccini (aptly named after her favorite composer), traveled the country in their motorhome. Their adventures on the road, along with the years spent in Tellico Village of Loudon, brought lasting memories and treasured friendships.
Carolyn’s elegance, booming laugh, unmistakable voice, and larger-than-life presence will be joyfully remembered.
She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Richard “Dick” Cross; John Fulton, father of her daughter Rachel; and Joseph Fitzgerald, father of her son Patrick.
She is survived by her daughter, Rachel Gray, and her husband, Devin; her beloved granddaughter, Naomi, who will always remember her as “Nana Banana”; her devoted son, Patrick Fulton and his son, Devin Edenfield; her oldest brother, Clifford “Bill” Sammis; her sister, Virginia Israel; and her youngest brother, Steven Sammis, and his wife, Beth. To many of her nieces and nephews, she was lovingly known as “Auntie Callou”—a name she will always carry in their hearts.
A memorial service is scheduled for Friday, September 19, 2025, at 2 p.m. at Arcola United Methodist Church in Sterling, VA.
Services
Memorial Service: September 19, 2025 2:00 pm
Arcola United Methodist Church
24757 Arcola Mills Dr
Aldie, VA 20166
(703) 327-7878
https://arcolachurch.org/
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So many fond and funny memories. A top favorite has to be hearing her belt out opera during Rachel and Devon’s wedding in Bloomington! The bride and groom were not overshadowed but that voice brought down the house! Rest in peace!