Our beloved Kevin John Carroll, age 67, passed away on March 15th from sudden cardiac arrest. He had a beautiful last day on earth—coming home from a great day at work, at a job he loved (particularly when court was in session as it was that week), to go on a walk with his wife Lane. He was so excited about what they were going to eat for dinner—that was Kevin.

Kevin was born April 16, 1955 in Dover, New Hampshire. In 1965 his mother packed up their (non air-conditioned) VW Beetle and drove him and his two brothers to West Palm Beach, Fl where they settled into the remainder of their childhoods. When his mom married his stepdad, Jack, Kevin gained 3 more siblings and an eventual job at Jack’s gas station on Singer Island. Kevin adored his stepdad who later served as the best man at his wedding.

He left Florida to attend Auburn University for undergrad where he majored in agriculture and bled orange and blue. Many of the family’s fondest memories are from all the Auburn football games they went to together and their time with their Auburn family/ football block (“the blockheads”). It was truly his happy place. He went on to attend Law School at Ole Miss and upon graduating started his legal career in Jackson, MS before moving back home to practice in West Palm Beach. He ultimately was barred in Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, which he retained throughout his career. It was in West Palm where he met the love of his life, Lane, in the law office library. Their first date was St Patrick’s day 40 years ago. It was the luck of the Irish. Lane went to the University of Tennessee, so naturally Kevin decided that the right time to propose was on the Auburn library lawn, right after the Auburn v. Tennessee game where Auburn won. Walking back in great spirits he looked at her and said “so you wanna get married?” Lane and Kevin garnered lifelong friends in West Palm and cherished their time there (particularly the spring training games) but moved to Tallahassee to raise their family. Kevin took a job with Ausley and McMullen where he worked as a trial Lawyer for the next 20 years. While at Ausley, among his clients Kevin represented the Leon County School Board, for which he was so proud.

You would have never known that Kevin was not from Tallahassee from the southern drawl he acquired to his strong relationships both in friendship and throughout all sides of the legal community. Throughout his 30 years in town he volunteered with multiple organizations and boards, but what stands out the most was his involvement with the local YMCA, rising to chapter president, and his time coaching mock trial at Leon High School. When the kids were younger, Kevin was really involved with the organization now known as Adventure Guides, but formerly known as Indian Guides and Indian Princesses. The camping trips they went on are some of the kids favorite memories from childhood; Drew’s troop with Kevin was known as the “mighty mighty moose tribe” and on those trips Kevin went by “Big War Eagle” and Drew by “Little War Eagle.” In Kasey’s group, Kevin went by “Dancing Bear” and Kasey by “Little Dancing Bear.” Kevin’s love of the outdoors shined through in these trips, as it also did in their summers spent in North Carolina hiking Whiteside Mountain, fly fishing, and hanging out at sliding rock. Kevin instilled his appreciation of the outdoors in his family.

By far Kevin’s favorite act of his career was his appointment as a judge in the 2nd Circuit of Florida. He was so humbled and surprised that he would even be considered to be selected, and he approached his role with the highest honor, enthusiasm, and thoughtfulness. Kevin loved an audience, so the bench was a natural fit for him. He would joke when he met Drew and Kasey’s friends “you can just call me Y.H.” (for your honor). He was so proud to be a judge and said nearly every day how much he loved his job and how happy he was to be doing it and would be so impassioned when telling his kids stories from the bench during their phone calls. There was no one better suited for it. Kevin was as honest, compassionate, and fair as they come. One of Drew’s favorite stories about Kevin’s time on the bench is when Kevin had an up-and-coming hip hop artist that had a major opportunity to record in Atlanta but was on probation in Tallahassee. Kevin went and learned the lyrics to one of his songs and incorporated them into his ruling which allowed him to move the last bit of probation to Atlanta and allowed him to pursue his career and dreams.

Kevin relished the simple things in life and was so thoroughly contented. He never felt compelled to go much of anywhere outside of Tallahassee, Auburn or St George Island (he already liked those places so why would he want to go anywhere else, he would ask). He was an avid (speed) reader and history buff with a keen memory. He still drove a 1997 Yukon, affectionately named “Brodie” which says everything about how consistent he was. As much as he loved his job, he loved the weekends where he would make “daddy’s big breakfast” while listening to music, shoot clays with his dear friend Richard Bevis, go on runs (which later devolved into walks) with the “Harry Bellini Track Club,” or go anywhere and everywhere with Lane. Mostly he just “low keyed” it, and he was happy that way.

Kevin accomplished so much and had so many hobbies/interests throughout his life that contributed to his “awesomeness” or “Kevinness” (all self-appointed titles). He always loved planes; he initially wanted to go into aviation as a career but was convinced to go into law. When he was in his twenties he got his pilot's license and flew as a hobby for nearly a decade. Kevin was also a marathon runner, running 10 marathons (one ultra marathon) including the very first Rock n Roll Marathon in San Diego. During the 1996 Olympics, Kevin was selected to be a torch bearer and ran with the torch through Mayo, Fl. Kevin was an incredible cook and boy did he know it. He found so much joy in cooking, and while working as an attorney he always said cooking was therapeutic because it was the one thing he could start and finish within the same day. He was famous for saying “my compliments to the chef” after everyone had eaten, and for proclaiming each year that his Christmas gumbo “may just be the best batch ever.” Kevin also leveraged his agriculture background to grow many herbs and tomatoes that he used in his cooking and he managed to work to keep an orchid alive for over 3 decades that was given to them when Kasey was born.

The spirit of his “Kevinness” was this perfect combination of wit, kindness and charm. He could somehow get away with things like referring to himself as “devastatingly handsome” or convincing several of Kasey’s friends to refer to him as “El Guapo” (“the handsome one,” later shortened to “Guaps” as a lifelong nickname). He also always reminded his family that he had “the spiritual gift of wisdom” because some test he did at church many years ago told him that. We of course never let him know that there was some truth to that. He signed most cards, and texts, to Kasey with “your awesome dad” or Y.A.D for short.

One of Kevin’s most defining interests was his love of the Grateful Dead. He successfully passed this love on to his children, though they did not have much of a choice as it was forced upon them every time they got in his car. He famously told Drew he could listen to the entire new R.E.M. record if he could listen to a single Grateful Dead song. Kevin picked a 40 minute Drums>Space. He saw the Dead in concert more times than we can count but he swore that Jerry Garcia made eye contact with him while playing his favorite song “Eyes of the World” at the last concert he attended in 95.

Kevin will be remembered for his kindness to all, but his family bore witness to the full extent of his sweetness. He was the best card picker for every birthday and the most creative drawer of the cutest cartoons. He got his creative side from his mom, Sue. While he always brought Lane her cup of coffee in the mornings, Saturdays were special because those mugs were delivered with a special “Saturday song” which he created fresh each week. He also created a new song every time Kasey had a first or last day or school and this carried on to first or last days in her professional career as well (all to the tune of “last dance” by Donna Summers ). She never deleted those voicemails and never will.

To say he will be missed is an understatement. Kevin’s family will most miss his gumbo on Christmas day, his redundant jokes, the way he compulsively said the lines of movies, (inevitably ruining them), “the bear dance,” his quick wit, the way he got teary eyed at any remotely sentimental show/movie and said he had “allergies,” his love of “British racing green,” his facts about bears, his pride in every meal he cooked, the way he stood on the porch and watched the kids drive off whenever they left, and how wholly loved he made them feel. He was the best dad and husband of all time, and we’ve always known how lucky we are for that.

Kevin was preceded in death by his parents Susan Cameron Watson, Jack Watson, and Harry Carroll, parents-in-law Beth Arnold McGehee and E. Martin McGehee, sister-in-law Betty McGehee, as well as his beloved black labs Buddy and Winston and his hero Jerry Garcia. Survivors include his wife of 38 years, Lane (McGehee) Carroll, daughter Kasey Carroll of Austin, TX , son Drew (Liz) Carroll of Nashville, TN., brother Gary (Nona) Carroll of Wellington, FL, brother Brian (Cherie) Carroll of Carmel, ME. He is also survived by his step-siblings John (Lana) Watson, Roy (Cathy) Watson, Harriett Watson, nephews and countless friends.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the American Heart Association. We also ask that you consider giving a wholehearted “war eagle” to anyone you pass by in Auburn gear, picking out the perfect card for a loved one’s birthday, reading some Hemingway, or asking the bartender for a “frosty cold draft Budweiser.” Be kind to people, smile at everyone, and believe in giving people second chances, just like Kevin. 

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