Aug 4, 2026
Jonathan Rich
BrevardBeagle.com
Monday night Brevard City Council had a special guest in the audience: Carolyn Lemmond Winchester.
This was not a scheduled speaker, a visiting dignitary or a citizen with a burning question to pose during the public comment section of the meeting; but instead a local lady surrounded by extended family and friends who is days away from celebrating her 100th birthday in Brevard.
Mayor Copelof humbly introduced the 99-year-old to all gathered in Brevard City Hall Monday night first by explaining that Winchester had taught both biology and Spanish at Brevard High School for 40 years.
Then she extolled how this was the namesake of the Carolyn Lemmond Winchester Scholarship offered at both Brevard and Rosman high schools to local students awarded this assistance for the past 13 years based on academic performance and financial need.
This was also the same local woman who had held numerous leadership roles at Brevard-Davidson River Presbyterian Church after joining in 1950, including serving as the organization’s first preschool director in 1956.
For these reasons, and many more, Copelof presented Winchester with a ceremonial “key to the city” and declared Sunday, Aug, 9, 2026 (the honoree’s 100th birthday) Carolyn Lemmond Winchester Day in the city of Brevard.
“I’m so grateful for this honor,” the guest of honor said following a round of applause that began as she was helped from her seat on the front row in front of Brevard City Council. “I was just a regular classroom biology and chemistry teacher, and I directed some of the plays,” Winchester said. “Now I’m retired and enjoying it.”