John Edward Carroll

Anyone fortunate enough to have known Johnny Carroll knew him to be a man who loved his faith and family above all things, who savored every moment of life, and who believed in helping his fellow man any way he could. Born to Katie and John Carroll on June 14, 1935 in Enid, Oklahoma, Johnny passed away at home, in Grand Prairie, in the arms of his loving wife, Linda, on Friday, October 26, 2018, during the 3am Hour of Mercy.

Johnny embraced his Irish heritage, became a dual citizen of the Emerald Isle, and was a member of the Irish American Society. He also was a former member of the Knights of Columbus, a malade of the Knights of Malta, an oblate of St. John Eudes and the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity, an associate of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth and the Sisters of Bethlemite, plus a lifelong devotee of the Discalced Carmelite Nuns of Dallas. A 4th-generation Texan, he was past President of the Descendants of Austin’s Old 300 and former member of the Texas Rangers Association. Well and widely known for his Texas State Fair award-winning jellies, preserves, and pickles, Johnny found great pleasure in sharing his homemade baked goods with others as an expression of his love.

While his father was away during WWII, Johnny spent several years of his boyhood in Kingsbury, TX, where many memories and Texas tales were created of his hunting, fishing and trapping expeditions. These early adventures later led to his certification from the North American School of Conservation. He also earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Master’s in National Park Management.

Throughout his career, Johnny worked for several aerospace and defense companies including LTV, Texas Instruments, and Bell Helicopter. He later taught high school and worked for the Boy Scouts of America at their corporate office.

Suffering from severe heart disease for 31 years, Johnny continuously astonished doctors, family, and friends by miraculously overcoming life-threatening medical challenges year-over-year with true grit and grace yet never a whisper of a complaint. Although he was told repeatedly by doctors that he had a weak heart, his life proved that his heart beat strongly and selflessly for others.

Survived by his wife and soulmate of 58 years, Dr. Linda Cole Carroll, son Dr. Bruce Carroll and wife Cindy; daughters Nanci Carroll; Annette Luke and husband Ben; and Audrea Weimer; and by his faithful dog Molly-0, 8 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren, and a multitude of cherished friends, too numerous to name, Johnny leaves a legacy of friendship, loyalty, and love. He will be profoundly missed.

Visitation will be from 3:00-5:30pm on Monday, October 29, at Bean-Massey-Burge Funeral Home, 2951 South Belt Line Road, Grand Prairie, TX 75052. Rosary will follow at 7:30pm at the Chapel of Discalced Carmelite Monastery, 600 Flowers, Dallas, 75211. A Requiem Mass will be offered at the Chapel of Discalced Carmelite Monastery on Tuesday, October 30, at 10:00am. Fr. Paul Weinberger will officiate. Burial will be held on Wednesday, October 31, at 11:00am in Johnny’s beloved Kingsbury, TX. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Discalced Carmelite Nuns.