151228 December 28, 2015
Carol Jean Williams Carroll
LHS '65
February 2, 1947 - December 25, 2015
We received word our classmate and friend Carol Jean died Christmas morning around 10:30. Her obituary has not been posted as of this time, but please keep Dub and family in your prayers. Carol Jean's visitation is Tuesday, December 29th from 10am -12 noon at Jackson Way Baptist Church, with the service to follow there. Two microphones will be available at a certain time in the service if anyone wants to share their thoughts about her.
(Added)
Feb. 2, 1947 - Dec. 25, 2015 Carol Jean Williams Carroll, 68, of Huntsville, passed away on Friday, December 25, 2015. Mrs. Carroll was preceded in death by her mother, Ruth Ray Williams and a sister, Kay Williams Fain. She is survived by her husband, James "Dub" Carroll; three sons, Jeff Carroll (Lisa), John "Mutt" Carroll, Josh Carroll; parents, John and Montez Williams; sister Cathy Hall (Steve); grandson, Jeremiah Carroll and a host of other family members and friends. Visitation will be Tuesday, December 29 at Jackson Way Baptist Church from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Funeral services will be at 12:00 p.m. Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery. Rev. Mike Cassity will be officiating. Berryhill Funeral Home is assisting the family.
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Several of our classmates have expressed their feelings on her life.
CJ was a best friend to virtually all of us. - J.R. Brooks
So sad for her family, this time of year especially. Praying for Dub. - Beth Weinbaum
As I write this tears are flowing. Tears of Joy that our Carol Jean is no longer in pain or battling this horrible disease, but also tears of loss for the loss of our dear friend. As one wrote, she was a "good friend" of ALL of us -- indeed a rare touch. She had a way of making and keeping friends. I know her own family must be in mourning as well - on this day when we should be celebrating joy at the birth of our Savior. But as I said - there are JOYfull tears knowing she is with her Savior - and He has healed her and made her whole.
Selfishly, I prayed she would make it through today at least, having come this far, but God wanted her with Him for the celebration.
May God's peace cover Dub and and family and extended family. Now they must develop a new normal, just as we her life-long buds and classmates must.
It's good time to remind ourselves of how special Carol Jean was - and resolve to be the fighter that she was. Even at her worst, in times of pain and weakness - she looked fit to shine and had a smile for everyone. God love her.
Farewell, my friend. We'll meet again. I love you forever - Ann Pat King Fanning
How sad to lose such a special member of the Fami-Lee! Carol Jean was one of the first people I met when I came to Lee from the "country" in seventh grade and one of the most welcoming. I am comforted by the fact that she who loved her friends and classmates so much was able to enjoy our 50th reunion. I'm also comforted by Ann Pat's observations that Carol Jean is indeed in a better place where life is new and there are no tears or pain. - Carolyn Burgess Featheringill
Our prayers are that God will give peace and comfort to Dub and Carol Jean's family.
She will be so missed by all who were fortunate to have known her. - Elbert Balch
She will be missed by all who knew her. Our prayers are with her loved ones. Oh God please comfort them! - Mike Crowl
Jeanne and I had made plans to visit with Carol Jean and Dub later this afternoon. We have been talking about how long we had known her and how great she was as a friend. Carol Jean had a special way of making each of us feel we were her best friend. The color in our lives is dimmer without her it. RIP sweet friend! Love to all. - Jim and Jeanne McBride.
Dub seemed very calm when he called today, and it was good that he said our sweet Carol Jean was finished with her suffering and gone on to a better place. It helps when you know the family is at peace also. Carol Jean was a truly unique person, and I will remember her often and fondly. Much love to all of our mutual friends as we grieve her passing. - Patsy Hughes Oldroyd
We are poorer in that Carol Jean is no longer with us, but we are so much richer in that we all knew her. Carol Jean was a "Grand" and "Gracious" lady. God admonishes us to celebrate the passing of this earthly life into eternal life, so we know Carol Jean is now with him in Heaven. Although, there are tears here on earth, there are no tears in Heaven. Also, no pain or suffering. Our task, now, is to be there for Dub and family. Keep them in your prayers. God bless Dub and God bless you all. Love ya! - Tom Bush
News one never wants to hear..... Had also planned to go by the hospital this afternoon while in town... She was a Friend to us all and will be missed greatly. I feel such assurance knowing she will suffer no more pain, she fought a long battle to stay with us all as long as she could but not to see that smiling face, face to face again, brings sadness me as I'm sure to us all. - Linda Taylor
Carol Jean is a very Special Person to me. I hope she knew how much she was loved. Carol Jean shared her illness of Crohn's Disease many reunions back, and we commiserated about how the cortisone/steroids necessary to treat her problem had such devastating side effects, including suppression of her immune system. I have been expecting this news of her impending demise for a long time. The fact that it has come to this after so many years of fighting the disease confirms what we knew all along; that in medical terms, Carol Jean is what we call "One Tough Cookie.." Those of us who survive until the next reunion will miss her.
It is a loving tribute to our Carol Jean that so many of us have written today to mourn her loss. There are very few people who are known and recognized simply by their first name: Elvis, Cher, J.R., Niles and Tommy T. (never Thomas or Tom). As an Infectious Disease Specialist practicing at a 500-bed urban hospital, I have been consulted many times over the past 36 years to contribute to the diagnosis and treatment of the sickest of the sick, often in an Intensive Care Unit setting. Ironically, during the AIDS crisis in the 1980s and 1990s, I often cared for young men from Alabama, who migrated to Atlanta where their lifestyle was more accepted and tolerated. I was the doctor who had to face his terrified parents and tell them the worst news, that: 1) Your son is gay 2) He has AIDS and 3) He is going to die, probably in the next few days. On those days, I would often walk away from the ICU muttering to myself: "Aluminum Siding, Aluminum Siding........instead of medical school, I should have gone into Aluminum siding."
But the loss of Carol Jean has affected me in a very different way. She was so vibrant, so full of life, and so much fun if you were fortunate enough to land in her aura. I was lucky to be seated next to her at our 50th Class of '65 luncheon, and directly across from Greg Dixon. As I remarked to Greg about halfway through the meal: "You know, Greg, when you are with Carol Jean, you never have to worry about holding up your end of the conversation." As I sit here at the computer on Christmas night, tears rolling down my cheeks as I try to type, the reality of life and death grips me in a very different way, much more brutally and cruelly, than it does for me as a physician, where death comes as part of the job. The bright side of this story is that Carol Jean's loss has made me realize HOW MUCH I CARE for my LHS classmates and friends, what a special bond we have, and how dearly we should treasure our friendships, formed long ago in the hallways and classrooms of Lee High School. There is an old saying that: "In order to HAVE a friend, you need to BE a friend." Carol Jean was that, and much more. - John Drummond
With both of us having last names that started with "W", Carol Jean was in my homeroom most of the years I spent at Lee. She was always a friend to everyone not just those in her inner circle. In our "later years", she always amazed me that she could clearly remember names of people, where they used to lived, who they married, the names of their siblings and who they married (even who they almost married)! There was just no end to what she could tell you. I loved that about her!!
I am thankful I knew Carol Jean. I am also thankful that God is a comforting God. May His comfort surround us all with many happy memories of her. Love you all. - Ann Wilson Redford
Today's message is one of sadness and joy. Sadness not able to have one on one contact with Carol Jean and joy that Carol Jean has no pain or tears but now is pain free and enjoying her reward for a lifetime full of caring for her friends and family. Prayers for Dub and family in their time of loss. - Don Stroud
As we say goodbye to a beautiful woman and friend we must grasp that we love from a source that is eternal. The mark we make, loving here, will go on forever in our fond memories and hearts, but the best is yet to come. Love continues.
I love you, and I wish that I could completely hurt for you and take it all away, but someone else has already done that for us.
May God bless you with the peace that passes all understanding on this night when Jesus first came to us. You have been Jesus for Kathy and me and all the others. - Randy Roman
Oh, what sad news. Carol Jean has been a lifelong treasure in the lives of Lee family. Thank you, Niles, for keeping us informed. And may your family enjoy the blessings of Christmas. - Greg Dixon
Such sad news. We will all miss Carol Jean. Thoughts and prayers to her family. - Alice Gullion Preston
I can't help but recall the wonderful Thanksgivings we had at Carol Jean and Dubs back in the early 2000's when Jennifer and I were still coming home to visit family. They would host us many of us who were home and as we all know Carol Jean was all about relationships. She has always possessed a great capacity for love for others. How appropriate at a time of year when we are celebrating Christmas and God's re-establishment of His relationship with us that our thoughts and prayers are for Dub and Carol Jean. They have always been so wonderful about keeping our Lee Family relationship strong. God Bless Everyone -Craig and Jennifer Bannecke
I'm late with sharing my feelings because it has taken me a long time to get them organized. Carol Jean was a friend before I ever crossed the threshold of Lee High School. She was one of my favorite skate partners of the "two-step" at Carter's Skateland and a favorite dance partner at Britling's. In my Lee days she was a friend and confidant. When I moved away she was the gateway to my reentering the arms of our Fami-Lee and helped me in ways I can never disclose. To me she was always the one stable force in the Lee classes of '64-'65-'66 crowd. She gave her friendship unconditionally to my ex-wife Carol and new wife Sue as well and never judged either against the other. Memories of her fill my books even though they are attributed to a fictitiously named classmate. One strong memory stands out from the 2010 reunion and that was her telling me about one of the last conversations she had with Bob Crump. She said Bob came up to her and said "if you have anything to say to me, you better do it now" because he knew he did not have much time left on this earth. Because of that, I visited with her as much as I could this last reunion, as well as anyone else who wanted to talk about anything. Those of you who know how much I love to dance may have wondered why I stayed off the dance floor so much. It was because I was visiting and having personal conversations with everyone I could. My best memory will be the last words I spoke with Carol Jean. As we were saying goodbye she hugged my neck and said "I love 'ya." My last words to her were "I love you too!" Our last time together could not have ended any better. - Tommy Towery
Memphis, TN - Sue and I will be driving down to Huntsville on Monday to attend the services for Carol Jean. We don't have any other plans other than that. We will only be staying the one night since we have tickets to the Birmingham Bowl where our Memphis Tigers will play the Auburn Tigers.
As good as I am at writing my feelings, and even though I minored in Public Speaking, there is no way I could ever take the microphone at Carol Jean's service and express my feelings for her and what she has meant to me in my life. My sentiments are printed above, and they only touch the surface of our relationship.
The Virtual Jukebox
Tommy Towery
LHS '64
This Week's Selections by
Jennean (Jennie) Ferguson Gordy
LHS '65
I am enjoying the virual jukebox. It is a wonderful idea. Back on Nov 3, I sent you my three selections. However someone else chose two of the ones that I selected (Traveller issue Dec 21). So I would like to use the following songs:
#1 'Woolly Bully" by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs
Change my #2 choice from "Satisfaction" by the Rolling Stones to "Like a Rolling Stone" by Bob Dylan.
Change my #3 from "Louie, Louie" by the Kingsmen to 'Blowing in the Wind' by Bob Dylan.
From Our Mailbox
Subject: Need For Speed
Joel Weinbaum
LHS '64
The new movie "Need for Speed" bridge scene was filmed at Phenix City-Columbus,GA. The main race scene was in California above San Fran heading out to the lighthouse at Arena Point.
