Wanda Jan Carroll

Wanda Jan Carroll, 87, passed away peacefully in her home, surrounded by loved ones, on August 11, 2025 in Mesa, Arizona.
Jan was born the second of five children to Milo Richard and Laura Wanda (Hill) LeBaron on April 13, 1938. She spent her childhood in Mesa, along with her siblings Milo Jr., Sally (Nelson), Cheryl (Cummard), and Michael. She was raised in a family that cherished family history, service, and dedication to Jesus Christ. Those attributes stayed with Jan throughout her life and she passed on that love and faith to her children, as well as a deep gratitude and sense of connection to those from the past.
After graduating from Mesa High School, Jan attended Arizona State University, where she obtained a bachelor's degree in Education while waiting for John Carroll, her high-school sweetheart, to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Always steadfast, John sent her a wedding ring before he even returned home, and the two were married in the Mesa, Arizona Temple in 1959.
Jan and John celebrated nearly six decades of marriage before John passed away six years ago. He was the love of her life, and she followed him even when it took her to places against her inclinations like the beaches of Lake Powell for family trips, and the blizzards of upper New York and Spanish-speaking branches in Texas as senior missionaries. Together they had eight children: Cathy Sones (Jon), Don (Sonia Wilhelm), Shelle Clouse (Russell), Wayne, Wanda, Carri Matthews (Marshall), Lafe (LeAnn Starr), and Brian (Melinda Jones).
Without question, Jan's greatest joy was her family. She had a tight connection to her siblings and extended family who all lived close and continued to gather for reunions and events throughout adulthood. She was a dedicated and loving mother or "Mama" (she did not appreciate being called "Mom"). That love extended to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren who knew they could come to her for a smile, a hug, and a handful of gummy bears.
Jan could almost always be found at her cabin in Strawberry or in her bedroom, sitting in a chair next to the bay window, except between the hours of 4 a.m. to 11 a.m. where she somehow managed to get more things done than most people accomplish in a full day. That room also operated as her gathering room, her office, and her craft room, even when other rooms in the house were available. She loved sitting at that window where she could look out into her backyard and watch the hummingbirds zip around bird-feeders and see the wind chimes sway. She especially loved watching the children play-first her own children, then her grandchildren, and ultimately her great-grandchildren, along with nieces and nephews, neighbors, and friends.
Over the last couple decades, Jan's time in that chair gradually increased as she watched over John while his health declined, and then as her own health and energy also faded. Eventually the chair became a hospital bed, still set near the bay window, where she spent her final days surrounded by a stream of loved ones coming to say goodbye and express their deep gratitude for her and her life of service. Jan's loss has been felt by many who were blessed to have her influence in their lives.
Jan was preceded in death by her husband John; her daughter, Wanda; her great-grandchildren, Mason and Gracie; her parents, Milo and Wanda; and her older brother, Milo Jr. Left to carry on her legacy are seven children, 38 grandchildren, 58 great grandchildren (with 6 more on the way), and her siblings Sally, Cheryl, and Michael.
Please join us to celebrate and remember Jan's life and her testimony of Jesus Christ. We will hold a viewing on Friday, August 22, 2025, from 6:00pm-8:00pm at Bunker's Garden Chapel, 33 North Centennial Way, Mesa, Arizona 85201. The funeral services will be held at 11:00am on Saturday, August 23, 2025 at the Kimball Stake Center, 1266 South 32nd Street, Mesa, Arizona 85204. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Humanitarian Fund for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Arrangements by Bunker's Garden Chapel, www.bunkerfuneral.com. Should this obituary appear anywhere but bunkerfuneral.com, please check our website for accurate details and service information.