William (Bill) Patrick Carroll

William (Bill) Patrick Carroll, 81, of Dilley, Texas passed away on Saturday, October 10, 2020 in Pearsall, Texas.  He was cared for by the folks at the Pearsall Nursing and Rehabilitation Center for the last two years and by Heart to Heart Hospice for the last few months as he lived and died with Alzheimer’s disease. 

Bill was born on January 16, 1939 to Louie Joseph and Ruby (Dunn) Carroll on the Dunn homestead near Covey Chapel west of Dilley.  

He was preceded in death by his parents Louie Joseph and Ruby Carroll and his brothers Robert Carroll and Paul Carroll, sister Carolyn Swensen and sisters-in-law Margaret Carroll and Helen Carroll.  

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Frances Janssen Carroll of Dilley, and children Sean (Melody) Carroll of Dilley, Philip (Angela) Carroll of Corpus Christi, and Ann (Javier) Martinez of Uvalde.  Other survivors include brother LJ Carroll of Pearsall, sisters Rosemary (Milton) Tater of Inez and Margaret Ann (Craig) Siegfried of Easton, Pennsylvania, brother-in-law Zack Swenson of Austin, grandsons Mitch (Lindsey), Cody, Dillon, and Brian Carroll, Marcos and Steven Martinez, granddaughter Victoria Martinez, and one great-grandson Julian Carroll, as well as numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews. Other very special people in his life include Letty Garcia, Devin and Garrett Ramirez, Twister Kluth and Tinslee Venable, and one honorary family – the Urbans (Larry, Lynda, Michael, and Meredith).  

Bill grew up on the family dairy farm west of Dilley.  As a youngster, he won the calf scramble at the Houston Livestock Show.  He was a 1957 graduate of Dilley High School and a starter on the 1955 Dilley Wolves Class B regional football championship team.  

After graduation, he worked for the HB Zachary Ranch in Laredo and then served in the Army where he participated in the Bay of Pigs mobilization during the Cuban missile crises.  He met a beautiful young Austin executive secretary from LaGrange named Frances through mutual friends in Dilley.  A group road trip to the bars and dance halls of Laredo lead to a date at a New Year Eve party in Dilley the next day.  They were married five months later on May 18, 1963, in Austin.

Upon the death of his father, Bill was honorably discharged from the military, and he and his new bride Fran returned to Dilley to help operate the family’s dairy operation, Frio Jersey Farm, and the Carroll Brothers ranching business.  After the closure of the dairy, he raised hogs and continued dryland farming around southwest Frio County, specializing in watermelons.  Even in retirement, he spent most days working around the farm and being caretaker of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and Cemetery.  He had a green thumb and enjoyed maintaining his large yard.  He was a self-taught carpenter and completed numerous home remodel and addition projects including the construction of Fran’s business office.  He could fix just about anything from an old piece of furniture to a microwave oven he rescued from the city dump. 

Bill was an active member and officer of the Dilley Lions Club, a former school board trustee for Dilley ISD, and a member of the American Legion.  At the age of 50, Bill mastered the sport of downhill skiing and enjoyed many road trips to the slopes of New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado with the extended Carroll and Urban families and friends. Those trips provided an endless supply of laughter, adventures, and memories to all involved.  He enjoyed morning breakfast and coffee meetings at different locations around town to shoot the breeze about all important topics of the day with other Dilley senior citizens.

The family gives special thanks to all Bill’s caregivers, especially Oralia, Sylvia, Joan, Angie, and Daniel.  Also, thanks to all family and friends who provided transportation for Bill and Fran to doctor’s appointments or errands to San Antonio and the surrounding area during his illness.  The kindness and support received is a true godsend. 

 Visitation will be held Friday, October 16, 2020, in the Hurley Funeral Home Chapel in Pearsall from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm followed by the Rosary at 7:00 pm.  Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 am Saturday, October 17, 2020, in the St. Mary’s Chapel West of Dilley with interment to follow in the St. Mary’s Cemetery.

Bill’s seven grandchildren, who he loved dearly, will serve as pallbearers.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the St. Mary’s Cemetery Fund, PO Box 640, Dilley, TX  78017, or charity of your choice.  

Arrangements under the direction of the Hurley Funeral Home, 608 E Trinity, Pearsall, Texas 78061.

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