David Jerome Carroll

Dave Carroll was born October 2, 1949 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was the youngest of three older brothers Tom, Paul, and Dan. Dave as the youngest, he was always doing his best to keep up with their antics. From making fires to the woods in the backyard, to setting off duct-taped clusters of cherry bombs, it's not entirely clear how the Carroll boys made it to adulthood in one piece.

He attended Purcell High School and then completed an apprenticeship in the electrical trade. He served in the Army, where he made memories and met lifelong friends. In his younger years, he took pleasure in travel, road trips, marathons, and tennis. After a wilder youth, Dave committed to living a sober life in 1987, not an easy feat for most and something he was forever proud of.

He married Phyllis in a backyard ceremony, complete with muddy volleyball and a lot of love. They had two children together - Andrew Thomas Carroll (Andy) and Elizabeth Rose Carroll (Liz, Lizzy, or Lizard as he would say). While their marriage ended in 1999, their love and admiration for each other, and their commitment to raising children together, stayed. They remained close and in each other's lives until the end.

Dave's greatest joy in life was becoming a parent. It was clear he was meant to be a father. He was extremely involved from the beginning. In every photo with him and his children he was caught gazing lovingly or goofing around with them. A true handyman, he was continually working on his home to best fit the needs of his growing family. Every inch of the home Dave has lived in for the past 38 years has been touched by his competent and loving hands, including multiple accommodations for his three little dogs.

Dave was an electrician by trade, undoubtedly one of the greats. He worked briefly for the Union before starting his business, Carroll Electric. In working for himself he could control his hours and have more flexibility to accommodate his kids' needs. He was a genius electrician, could solve the toughest problems, and took genuine care of his customers (who often would turn into acquaintances and lifelong friends). It wasn't always the most fun work but even in the hardest circumstances he was all too willing to do it as a means of providing for his family.

After 36 years in business for himself, his kids finally convinced Dave to retire. Or should we say "retire" as he continued to do small projects for friends and neighbors. He had a hard time staying idle. He filled his retirement with house repairs, visits around town to friends, swimming at the gym, walking on the treadmill, and most importantly playing music. He even tried yoga once. After a hiatus from the banjo in his younger days, Dave was re-committed to the instrument with his newfound free time. He enjoyed taking lessons from a local instructor and even learned how to research and download new songs to learn. Over the past few months, he also experienced great joy connecting with his neighborhood group over backyard conversations.

Dave will be remembered for many things. His care for others, his kind and genuine spirit, his deep love of music, his quick jokes, his smart sense of humor, and his interest in always lending a hand. Above all, Dave will be remembered as a devoted and loving father. He would often and proudly talk about his kids, Andy and Liz, as well as his daughter-in-law Jen, to anyone that would listen.

While not religious per se, Dave was introspective and felt a connection to the universe at large. Dave passed away on July 10, 2020. While he has left us in the physical sense, we know Dave's presence will continue to stay with us in the smell of honeysuckle (his favorite smell), in the sound of tree frogs at night (his favorite sound), in the deer and wildlife that visit his lush yard, in his children who he loved so deeply, and in the memories of those that were lucky enough to call him a friend.

The family plans to convene a celebration of life at a future date when it is safe to gather as a group, hopefully within the next 6-12 months. In lieu of flowers, we encourage you to consider a donation to Matthew 25: Ministries, Loveland LIFE Food Pantry, or the League for Animal Welfare. Evans Funeral Home - Goshen serving family.