“Meg was one in a million.”

Carolyn Wells Oliver, known to all as Meg, passed away on Monday, December 15, 2025, at Select Specialty Hospital in Newport News. She was 80 years old.

Meg was born on March 5, 1945, in Martinsville, Virginia, to Mary Elizabeth Wells (née Gilbert) and Robert Melvin Wells. She lived a life defined by compassion, service, and a quiet strength that left a lasting imprint on everyone fortunate enough to know her.

On June 17, 1967, Meg married the love of her life, Edward Louis Oliver. They shared more than 57 years of marriage before Edward’s passing in January, building a life rooted in devotion, mutual respect, and family. Together, they raised three children and created a home filled with warmth, humor, and unwavering support.

Meg began her professional life as a high school teacher before answering a deeper calling to care for others, becoming a nurse in 1986. She spent over two decades as an Emergency Room nurse, where her calm presence, clinical skill, and fierce advocacy for patients defined her career. She was especially proud to serve as a head ER nurse, a role that reflected both her leadership and her dedication to helping people at their most vulnerable moments.

Helping others was not just Meg’s profession, it was who she was. She was a tireless advocate for those she loved, willing to do whatever was necessary to support, protect, or uplift them. Her kindness was matched by her resilience, and her generosity by her sharp, brilliant sense of humor, including a well-appreciated taste for dark humor.

Outside of work, Meg found joy in the quieter rhythms of life. An avid reader throughout her life, she also loved crossword puzzles, never missed an episode of Jeopardy, and valued movement and mindfulness through walking, yoga, and meditation. She had a deep affection for birds, spending years welcoming them through an ever-changing array of feeders that reflected her attentiveness and care.

Above all, Meg was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She is survived by her three children: Carter Herndon (Mike), Wells Oliver (Angela Hearne), and Langdon Oliver (Sharon); and her four grandchildren, Archer Herndon, OJ Herndon, Chase Oliver, and Kairi Oliver.

To her children, Meg was nurturing, steady, and endlessly loving. She was a source of comfort, wisdom, and unconditional support. She was warm, gentle, and always ready with an embrace. Her presence made people feel safe, understood, and deeply cared for.

A private family celebration of life will be held to honor Meg’s memory.  Cremation Society of Virginia, Chesapeake Office, is assisting the family.  Friends and family may share online condolences and memories at www.vacremationsociety.com.

Meg’s life was one of quiet impact and profound love. Her legacy lives on in the lives she healed, the family she cherished, and the countless small acts of kindness that defined who she was.