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In memory of

James Edward Carroll

Summerfield, FL, USA

December 7, 1925 - August 14, 2019

Dec 7, 1925 - Aug 14, 2019

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James Edward Carroll, affectionally known as Jim, Chief, Dad, Grandpa and Jazz, went to meet his heavenly Father, August 14, 2019. He passed peacefully with his loving wife of 69 years, Corky, by his side. He leaves behind an unmatchable legacy that is impossible to capture in a few paragraphs.

Jim served 23 years in the Navy. He turned 16 on Pearl Harbor Day, which moved him to enlist as soon as he could. He received numerous awards and accolades throughout his military career, all while co-managing his growing family of 7 children. He never forgot his military years, and his whole body would light up in the presence of a veteran, even in his dying days.

Jim was known throughout his life as a formidable story teller. Up until his passing, he was telling stories from his childhood, through his Navy life, to anyone who could pull up a chair and listen. His attention to details was remarkable, and even towards his end, his stories included consistent events, names and actions as if they happened yesterday. He never missed the opportunity to offer up a full-belly joke, and an extremely memorable joke was him telling us, amidst tears of laughter, about the “cat that chewed your new shoes”.

In addition to being an energetic story teller, Jim loved to fix things. Fix anything. He saved parts from virtually every broken down item, and stored the parts in a manner of organization that only he could make sense of. If you needed a 24” chair leg, with rounded edges, Jim would say “Hang on, I have one of those!” and retreat to his favorite room in the house, his shed. Not only was he a fixer, he was astute at embellishing things to make them better than ever imagined. Lights, wheels, sounds….he loved the challenge of reworking materials and tools to find a new purpose, always with a chuckle, knowing this was driving Corky crazy.

Speaking of Corky, Jim’s greatest love story is his wife of 69 years. He and Corky had an ongoing banter that was worthy of nearly 7 decades of marital bliss. He longed for her presence, and was always eager to let her know that he he needed her. Their love story endured many ups and downs. They were always present for each of their kids’ challenges and never wavered in their support. They endured decades of a growing family and countless moves across the country. The homes they created together were filled with love and openness to all. Each of his kids remember always having at least one or two other kids living with us, no questions asked. Corky wasn’t’ happy unless she had a sink full of dishes, meaning there were lots of kids in our house and wet towels on the floor. Jim supported this mayhem, and was always eager to support this “house of love”, and never turned down someone needing a place to stay.

Jim was decades ahead of his time with recognizing the value of “American Made”. He never, ever acknowledged a gift without first determining if it was made in America. How we have all grown to realize the value of Jim’s foresight. Jim, Dad, Grandpa, would show his love to his family by asking familiar questions, that everyone grew to expect….. “Did you change the oil in your car?….Did you save the scraps for Sunshine?….Where’s the Worcestershire sauce?…That’s okay that you don’t like that, there’s more for me”…..and of course, “Don’t sweat the small stuff.”

Jim is survived by his loving wife, Corky, and his seven kids: Pat Carroll (Debbie Carroll): Mike Carroll: Terri Carroll; Sherri Young (Duane Young), Maureen Hellems (Chris Hellems); Tim Carroll (Lisa Carroll); Cori Palazzolo (Tom Palazzolo). Grandchildren: Shannon Carroll, Devany Carroll (listening to his stories in heaven), Nathan Carroll, Willow Carroll, Keli Gjesdahl, Courtney Zentner, Cassie Young, James Hellems, Katrina Hellems, Chelsea Hellems, Brianna Palazzolo, Troy Palazzolo; Great grandchildren: Demarcus, Fallyn, Reilly, Brayden, Crystalynn, Oliver, Dorian, Holden, Damon, Wyatt, Zoe; Soon-to-be-born great great grandchild: Quinn.

There will be an Irish Celebration of Jim’s life on Friday, September 6, 2019. The funeral will begin at 10 AM at St. Mark’s Catholic Church, followed by a full military service at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell. Gathering of friends and family will conclude at the Hilltop Estates Clubhouse, from 3-5. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made, in Jim’s name, to Cornerstone Hospice & Palliative Care - The Villages.

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