Remembering Rev Carolyn Bailey Lewis, Author

“We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent

from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”

2 Corinthians 5:8 KJV

Sincere condolences to the family of Dr. Carolyn Bailey Lewis. Our heartfelt and sincere sympathy is with you, as well as lifted prayers of comfort. May God bless you in the coming days as you navigate life without your mother, grandmother, and friend.

A sad day to write this post. I loved Carolyn. She called me one afternoon and asked if I would consider publishing her manuscript, Love and Loss: The Storied Nature of Nursing Home Care. After reading her manuscript, I agreed and we met at my office to finalize the details.

Carolyn collaborated with one of her friends to create and design a book cover. The cover was a picture of The Laurels Nursing Care Facility in Athens, Ohio, and a photo-shopped image of a walker. When I saw the mock-up of the cover, I called Carolyn and said, “The cover photo is fine, but the added image of a walker diminishes the work. No walker.” Carolyn was aghast. She insisted the walker was relevant and that if I did not add the walker to the cover, our contract was broken. I didn’t budge. Carolyn didn’t budge.

A week later, Carolyn called and apologized, stating that she had talked with her daughter and that it was okay to leave the walker off the cover. We both rallied and created a title that has won literary awards and has 5-Star reviews.

Later, in public interviews, Carolyn mentioned the story about the walker. “My publisher was right. The cover is better without the walker.” We both smiled and laughed about it, remembering that we both brought wisdom and ingenuity to the collaboration table – bringing us closer in many ways.

Carolyn was a beautiful woman. I did not delve into her history until after her book was published. She lived an extraordinary life. I spoke with her a few weeks ago, asking if I could stop and visit with her at the nursing home. “No,” she said, “I am just out of the hospital and recovering. Let’s plan it in a few weeks.”

Carolyn was working on a new manuscript “Hotel Thelma”, a story about her great aunt, Thelma Stone, a well-known and important figure in American history. Here’s what I know…

Thelma Stone: "Mama Thelma" and Safe Haven for Black Travelers

In the heart of Bluefield, West Virginia, entrepreneur and community leader Thelma Stone, affectionately known as "Mama Thelma," created far more than places to stay. Through her establishments, Hotel Thelma and the Travelers Inn, she provided safe, welcoming accommodations for African American travelers during an era when segregation and discrimination severely limited lodging options throughout the United States.

Both properties were listed in The Negro Motorist Green Book, the travel guide first published in 1936 by Victor H. Green. The Green Book became an essential resource for Black travelers, identifying hotels, restaurants, service stations, and other businesses where they could expect fair treatment and personal safety. Inclusion in the Green Book signified that a business was a trusted refuge in a landscape where racial discrimination often made travel difficult and dangerous.

For many visitors passing through southern West Virginia, Mama Thelma's hotels represented more than convenient lodging. They offered dignity, comfort, and a sense of belonging. Travelers could find a clean room, a warm meal, and often a welcoming conversation. Stories passed down through the community recall Mama Thelma as a generous and caring host who looked after her guests much like family, earning her the affectionate title that became synonymous with her name.

Bluefield occupied a strategic location along major transportation routes connecting the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and South. As a result, Mama Thelma's establishments served traveling families, businesspeople, musicians, educators, and professionals who relied on the Green Book network. During the height of segregation, these travelers often planned their journeys around the trusted businesses listed in its pages.

The success of Hotel Thelma and Travelers Inn also reflected the strength of Black entrepreneurship in Bluefield. At a time when opportunities were restricted by racial barriers, Mama Thelma built businesses that not only prospered but also became important institutions within the community. Her work contributed to a broader network of African American-owned enterprises that sustained local economies and fostered community pride.

Today, the legacy of Mama Thelma and her hotels serves as a reminder of both the challenges African Americans faced during the Jim Crow era and the resilience, ingenuity, and determination that enabled communities to thrive despite those obstacles. Her story is an important chapter in the history of Bluefield, the Green Book, and the broader struggle for equality in America. Through her hospitality and entrepreneurial spirit, Thelma Stone helped ensure that countless travelers could journey with a greater sense of safety, security, and hope.

I hope we get to read what Carolyn had to say about Mama Thelma. Possibly, her children, after a time, will pass this along to us. It was a subject that Carolyn was passionate about. We were going to meet and talk about the manuscript; what she had written so far, what she wanted people to know, and the best way to memorialize her family’s heritage.

Thank you, Carolyn, for being my friend. You propelled my life in many ways and I am grateful. You’re with the Lord now, “Well done, good and faithful servant…” 

Rev. Dr. Carolyn Foster Bailey Lewis, 78, peacefully passed away on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, in Columbus, Ohio, at Riverside Methodist Hospital. Born September 19, 1948, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, she was the only child of David Foster and Jacqueline Johnson Foster. At six months years old moving forward, she was raised by her great aunt, Thelma Stone “Mama Thelma,” in Bluefield, West Virginia. Mama Thelma’s hotels, Hotel Thelma, and Travelers Inn were in the Green Book. Rev. Dr. Carolyn Foster Bailey Lewis attended West Virginia University, in Morgantown, West Virginia. She was the first African American female graduate of the Perley I. Reed School of Journalism, now the Reed School of Media and Communications. She obtained her Master of Science in Journalism from West Virginia University, in Morgantown (where she was inducted into the WVU Hall of Fame); and her Ph.D., in Communication Studies, in the Scripps College of Communication, at Ohio University.

Rev. Dr. Carolyn Bailey Lewis retired from public media in 2011 following a distinguished 38-year career as a public broadcasting/media professional. West Virginia Broadcasting in Morgantown, WNPB-TV (1972-1997) -Writer/Announcer, Continuity Chief, Community Relations Manager, Director of Public Information and Graphic Design, and General Manager. In 1994, she was named the first African American woman general manager of a full-service public television station in the continental United States. In 1995, the station produced an unparalleled six-and-and-a-half-hour history of the state, West Virginia: A Film History. Served as Director and General Manager of the WOUB Center for Public Media at Ohio University (1997-2011), first African American woman. She led the station through strategic planning, reorganization, and change, including WOUB’s conversion from analog to digital television. She garnered myriad national, regional, and local awards, and produced and hosted both radio and television programs. She was a consultant to other public broadcasting stations and mentored students. In 2013, she was named Director and General Manager Emerita, WOUB Center for Public Media, by the Ohio University Board of Trustees.

Rev. Dr. Carolyn Foster Bailey Lewis’ academic experience includes West Virginia University Perley I. Reed School of Journalism (now the Reed School of Media and Communications), where she taught Media Issues and Ethics, Introduction to Mass Communication, and Public Relations; Ohio University School of Media Arts and Studies – Public Telecommunications, Media Management, Leadership for the Media Industries, Gender Leadership in Media, Women and the Media, and Public Media in the Digital Environment; Ohio University School of Communication Studies – Advanced Presentations, Cross Cultural Communication, Advanced Organizational Communication, Women and Health Communication.

        She has edited books, authored articles in journals, served on Ph.D. and master’s degree committees, made numerous local, state, regional, and national presentations, and guest lectured for classes. In 2005, she established the Robert F. Lewis. Jr. Memorial Fund at Ohio University to provide scholarships for deserving students in the WOUB Student Professional Development Program. She is the author of Love and Loss: The Storied Nature of Nursing Home Care.

She was the Co-Founder and Chairman, The Dr. Carolyn Foster Bailey Lewis Family Foundation; Member, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated ®, Alpha Sigma Omega Chapter, in Columbus, OH; Board Member, Ohio University Alumni Association; Member; Alfred Street Baptist Church, Alexandria, VA. Some past associations include: Member, Athens City Commission on Disabilities, Member, Athens City Commission on Disabilities Education and Outreach Committee and Athena Committee; Mentor, 10-15 Students/Alumni Per Year; and Host, Conversations from Studio B, WOUB Public Media – Issues Related to Disability, Access, Health, and Inclusion. She has also been on the Board of Trustees, America’s Public Television Stations; Executive Committee, University Licensee Association, Board of Director’s, National Educational Telecommunications Association; Chair, PBS Advertising and Promotion Advisory Committee; Chair, Southern Educational Communication Association Public Information Committee; Member, National Black Programming Consortium Board; Member, Womenfuture.com National Media Advisory Board; Advisor, Children’s Television Workshop Sesame Street Public Affairs Committee; Advisor, The Magic School Bus Promotion Committee; and President, Vice President, Secretary, Ohio Television Stations.

Rev. Dr. Carolyn Foster Bailey Lewis is survived by her devoted son, Mr. Carey I. Bailey (Nakia), her loving daughter, Dr. Caryn M. Bailey, and her dear grandchildren, Evann L. Bailey and Leah N. Bailey.

A Celebration of Life is scheduled for Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at 10:00 AM, with the viewing at 9:00 AM, at Jagers & Sons Funeral Home, at 24 Morris St, Athens, OH 45701. She will be eulogized by Rev. James Mitchell, Pastor, Infirmity Prayer Service, Bluefield, WV.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested all acts of kindness be directed to donations to the Dr. Carolyn Bailey Lewis Leadership Award at WOUB Public Media at Ohio University, P.O. Box 869, Athens, OH, 45701. Please make it payable to The Ohio University Foundation.

Please share a memory, a note of condolence or sign the online register at www.jagersfuneralhome.com.