Louie "LJ" Joseph Carroll Jr.

Louie Joseph (LJ) Carroll, Jr., of Pearsall, died on Friday, May 16, 2025, at the age of 91. He was born on October 12, 1933, to Louie Joseph, Sr. and Ruby (Dunn) Carroll.

Upon graduation from Dilley High School, he attended St. Mary's University on an athletic scholarship and the University of Texas after serving the US Army Corp of Engineers in Greenland. Following that time, he began working with Frank Schorp Land Surveying Company and started his career as a registered public land surveyor. This surveying company later became Carroll and Schorp Surveying when Frank's son, James, became his partner. He said that the surveying he did was an important part of his life, but he always wanted to continue with agriculture. In 1963, he and his brothers formed a partnership. They continued with the family dairy using registered jersey cattle and they named their partnership Frio Jersey Farm. They also started a commercial herd of beef cattle using Hereford bulls. He held a private pilot's license and was part owner of a plane with Norman Parsons from Pearsall. LJ was also a member of the St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Dilley, and he was a faithful Catholic until the very end.

In 1973, he married Helen Smith, and they remained true and loving companions until her death in November 2019. During their marriage they traveled extensively, primarily in the summer when Helen was not teaching. Their travels included most European countries, Russia, and the Patagonia area of Chile as well as the continental U.S. Louie taught Helen much about his cattle business-registered Herefords and she accompanied him several times to his semi-annual trips to the world class bull auctions in Montana.

LJ is survived by a sister, Margaret Ann (Craig) Siegfried of Pennsylvania; brother-in-law Milton Tater of Inez; his nephews: Sean (Melody) Carroll of Dilley, Philip (Angela) Carroll of Corpus Christi; niece Ann (Javier) Martinez of Uvalde; sister-in-laws: Francis Carroll of Dilley, Mary Jo Phillips of Pearsall and Cynthia Smith of Houston and his wife's cousin and business partner James Schorp (of Pearsall). He is also survived by his great nephews: Mitch (Lindsey) Carroll of Hondo, Cody Carroll and Dillon Carroll of Dilley, Brian Carroll of California, Marcos Martinez of Houston, Steven Martinez of Abilene; and great-niece, Victoria Martinez of Uvalde. There are numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews who loved LJ and we wish there was more space to list them all.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Louie and Ruby Carroll, his sisters: Carolyn Swenson, Rosemary Tater; and brothers, Robert Carroll, Paul Carroll, William (Bill) Carroll.

A rosary service and mass celebration will be held on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, at St. Mary's Chapel outside of Dilley with Father Agustin Estrada officiating. The burial will be held at St. Mary's Cemetery.

The pallbearers for the service will be Sean Carroll, Philip Carroll, Mitch Carroll, Cody Carroll, Steven Swenson, and Robert Smith. Honorary pallbearers are James Schorp and Billy Joe Whitwell.

A luncheon will be provided after the burial services at the St. Joseph's Catholic Church Hall. The family would like to thank everyone who made food donations, visited LJ, and sent condolences. We especially thank Elba Lucero for the care she took of both Helen and LJ over the years. We do not know what we would have done without her. We also thank Cardinal Hospice, especially Gwen Edwards, who was with LJ the whole time he was under hospice care.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in LJ's name can be made to the St. Mary's Cemetery Fund,500 Private Road 4760, Dilley, Texas 78017.