Carolyn A. Haffner, 78, a resident of Henderson, Kentucky, since October 1973, passed away at 4:44 p.m. Sunday, September 17, 2017, at Deaconess Gateway Hospital in Newburgh, Indiana, surrounded by her loving family.

Carolyn was an independent, strong, compassionate, and nurturing mother who encouraged her children, Mark, Yael, Anna, and Benjamin, to be the creative people they became.  She was a respected townswoman, an intellectual, activist, and thought leader who enjoyed organizing community events.

She was born in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, on September 14, 1939, to the late Don Carlos and Sylvia Elizabeth Whiteaker Davis.

She was preceded in death by her daughter, Yael Elizabeth Haffner, who died December 16, 1999.

Survivors include her children, Mark D. Haffner, Anna H. Layton and her husband, John K. Layton, and Benjamin L. Haffner; her former husband, Joel J. Haffner; one brother, Clark W. Davis and his wife, Karen; and five grandchildren, Kirstin, Cameron, Palmer, Tao, and Ishan Haffner.

Services will be at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Rudy-Rowland Funeral Home.  Peter Scanlan, Ph.D, and Ted Klontz, Ph.D, will officiate.  Private family burial will be in Fairmont Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday and 5 p.m. until service time Wednesday at the funeral home.

Contributions may be made to the Henderson County School of Fine Arts at www.hendersonsofa.org.

She will be missed by all who knew her and whose lives she touched.