TOM CARROLL

TOM CARROLL, of Fort Wayne, died very quietly on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2011, at The Towne House, with his wife, Betty, and his four devoted children around him. "He was known for his gentle wit, and was an inventor and adventurer." Born Jan. 1, 1919, in Columbus, Ohio, he was the son of Thomas F. and Helen Rowlands Carroll. He attended St. Jude Elementary School, Central Catholic High School, North Side High School, and Wabash College where he was a member of Beta Theta Pi Fraternity. He was a Flight Test Engineer with North American Aviation until 1946 when he returned to Fort Wayne where he and his father owned Rowlands Furniture Co. In 1969, he became a manager of Leath Furniture, retiring in 1982. He was an active member of the Boy Scouts and was awarded his Eagle on April 20, 1934, for Troop 30, in Fort Wayne. He was believed to have been the oldest living Eagle Scout east of the Mississippi and was camp counselor. He was a founder of the Fort Wayne Downtown Association and a past President of that group. He was an active member of the Junior Chamber of Commerce working with them to get the Veterans War Memorial Coliseum started, and was the lead rabble-rouser of the Exhausted Roosters. Tom Carroll and the beautiful Betty McKinney met in Hollywood, Calif., and lived a romance right out of the movies. Betty set Tom up on dates with several of her UCLA sorority sisters----he was much prized by the young ladies because he was handsome, charming and owned a white tie and tails. And then one afternoon, returning from a ski trip to the mountains, Tom and Betty stopped at an avocado stand, shared one of the mysterious fruits, looked into one another's eyes, and never looked at anyone else the rest of their lives. He was a hunter, a traveler, a fisherman, enthusiastic dancer, and hit an astonishing five holes-in-one during a lifetime of golf. He and the very vivacious Betty traveled the world----venturing through China, Europe, Africa, South America and every one of the 50 United States. They spent winters in either Florida or California. He is survived by his loving wife of 70 years, Betty; daughters, E. Jean Carroll of New York, Cande Carroll (David Yeater) of Ithaca, N.Y. and Barbara Carroll of Bloomington; son, Tom III (Nancy Serfas) of Golden, Colo. and Todos Santos Baja California Sur, Mexico; four grandchildren, Berry Blanton (Tiffany Starr), Tom Carroll IV (Rachel Pollack), Lauren Switzer, and Andrew Switzer; one great-grandchild, Rheannon Carroll; and sister, Eleanor Holt. A celebration of his life - Open House is from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 4, 2011, in the Presidential Suite, at Canterbury Green, 5132-2 Stonehedge Blvd., Fort Wayne. "Lovingly remembered by his children, Sept. 1, 2011."