James Willard Carroll

Dorothy Mae Carroll ((O’Bleness\MacRew), born Walsenburg CO May 27th 1932, passed Missoula MT July 20th 2022

James Willard Carroll, born Westover WV January 24th 1930, passed Missoula MT October 8th 2023

James W Carroll has joined the love of his life, Dorothy M Carroll on her fluffy cloud. Theirs was a love story that began the summer of 1981. Jim was working for Modern Machinery, Dorothy was teaching junior first grade at Hellgate Elementary. A man who worked with Jim had a son who, coincidentally, was in Dorothy MacRew’s class. The parents plotted a meetup between Jim and Dorothy, they met over dinner and began dating in the fall of 1981. In the fall of 1982, Jim, Dorothy and her daughter Della moved to a house together on Pine Street. The three of them were a happy family. June 10 1983 James and Dorothy married at the Knights of Columbus Hall and moved to what would be their forever home at Higgins Avenue. 

Along the way Jim left Modern Machinery and worked as a custodian at St. Joseph’s Catholic Elementary School - a job he adored. Between swapping pictures with the kids and welding on the boiler, he was in heaven. Dorothy continued teaching at Hellgate Elementary until she retired.

Dorothy O’Bleness was the fourth child and second daughter in a family of eight children, growing up in Kingston Idaho, in a house her father and two older brothers built. At seventeen years old, she married Jack MacRew (Earl H. Griswold), a man older than her father, and was married to him for the next eleven years. During that time, she attended North Idaho College in Cour d’Alene Idaho and received her GED. When she was 28 years old (1960), her husband Jack took his own life. Dorothy had been told she would never have children. Doctors can be wrong. 

She had begun her career teaching second grade in Troy in 1963. While there, she met the man who would become Della’s biological father. Finding herself pregnant and unwed, she moved to Tacoma Washington to be with her sister. Her precious daughter Della was born November of 1964. Dorothy and Della returned to Missoula two weeks later, and she began the process of completing her teaching degree. Dorothy graduated from the University of Montana in 1968 and began teaching first grade in Florence. She would stay as a teacher in Florence until 1973 when she would move when she was fortunate enough to be hired at Hellgate Elementary.

James was the youngest son of Jessie and John Carroll. His mother tragically died when he was four years old, and his father remarried with a young woman named Edna. At seventeen, James joined the navy as a submariner. While in the navy, he pursued a professional boxing career. After being honorably discharged, he married June in 1950 and had two children, Patricia and James Carroll, of whom he often spoke with pride. Patty was tragically killed in a car accident when she was 19 years old and three months pregnant. On that awful day, Jim lost both his daughter and first grandchild. 

Jim’s son, James, following in his father’s footsteps, joined the navy and married Marilyn. That marriage produced Brianne and Courtney. Through Brianne, Jim gained three great-grandchildren. Jim and June would later divorce in the early ‘70s, and he would continue traveling for his work.

James had been living a bachelor’s life, and Dorothy lived alone with her daughter Della until that fateful night in 1981 when their lives were to intersect. Once in their forever home, kitty corner from the Higgins Avenue Dairy Queen (a place they often visited), their lives settled into a happy routine. James continued working at St. Joseph’s, and Dorothy at Hellgate Elementary. In 1987, Jim retired from St. Joseph’s and began earnestly converting the garage into The Shop. Dorothy retired from teaching in 1997. With free time on her hands, Dorothy began creating beautiful quilts for friends and family. They were both crafty people, full of love and mischievousness.

Jim became a woodcarver, winning a zillion ribbons at the Western Montana State Fair, and was featured in the Missoulian. Dorothy often accompanied him to carving shows and sales, sitting at the table by his side painting Christmas ornaments and chit-chatting with people as they wandered by. They often went camping, once hiking into a chalet in Glacier National Park - an achievement of which they were both very proud, since they were both in their mid-50s.

When Della was 21 years old, Jim legally adopted her, and she took the last name Carroll. Jim and Dorothy had each lost people in their lives and had found each other. Through Della and her husband David, Jim and Dorothy had two granddaughters, Hazel and Sophia Clark. As David frequently observes, not everything that happens in Vegas stays in Vegas - sometimes it follows you home and wants to be fed. 

At least once a year, Della would drag her family to Missoula, where many joyous water fights would ensue, which always included James and Dorothy, who remained kids at heart. One summer, Jim and Della, on a typical garage sale foray, brought home a children’s playhouse, shaped like a log cabin that Hazel and Sophie used until they were too big to fit. James would later repurpose it as a storage space for his “stuff.” Hilarity often broke out when kids collided with grandparents. Life was good.

In the spring of 2020, Dorothy injured her knee, confining her to a wheelchair and she began needing 24 hour assistance. At that point, their son-in-law David graciously gave a year of his life to assist them, helping them remain in their home. During the pandemic, their daughter Della arrived, allowing David to return home to Milwaukee Wisconsin. Before David left, Dorothy had a severe stroke, affecting her memory, and her health began to truly decline. In the 1950s, Jim had been injured while working on the railroad, and after multiple back surgeries, he suffered from severe chronic pain and also needed a wheelchair.

Even as their health issues grew severe, their love was obvious to all who were around them. Their caretakers enjoyed coming to the house, as they were easy to deal with and there was always much laughter. 

On July 12th 2022, Dorothy fell while trying to stand from her wheelchair, breaking her tibia and she was transported to St. Patrick’s Hospital. Eight days later, she passed peacefully. James was heartbroken, the love of his life was gone. But, because his daughter Della continued to live with him, he was able to remain in his home and visits to The Shop continued daily. His  devotion to woodworking provided a purpose for living. Jim survived covid in the holiday season of 2022. During the last year of his life, he brought happiness to many with the gifts of his carving and his humor. 

Dorothy always said she wanted to sit on a fluffy cloud, feet hanging down, watching the world passing by. When she passed, she took her beloved teddy with her. Her daughter, however, forgot to include any clothing. Della later said to her dad, “Dad, Mom’s naked! Hiding in the shrubbery! When you go, you have to take her some clothes!” At this Jim laughed at his daughter, shaking his head at her silliness. Dorothy had been patiently waiting on her cloud, for her husband (and her pants). By October 5th 2023, Jim had stopped eating, and could barely stay awake. On Friday, October 6th Della had Jim call his son James so he could remind him of how much he loved him and how proud he was of him. Jim also called his friend Bill Lees and told him how much he loved him. On Saturday the 7th, three of Jim’s good friends: Bob Johnson, Brian, and Donna all came to visit him in The Shop and on the back deck. It was a gorgeous fall day.

In the early hours of Sunday, Jim was waiting for his daughter to wake up. By 5 AM, while holding her dad’s hand,  she reminded him, “Dad. You have one job. Don’t mess this up.”

Later in the morning, when the ladies came to collect him, they also collected a pair of bib overalls for him and clothes for Dorothy. 

Today, Jim and Dorothy are up on that cloud, watching the world go by together. Even  though they found each other late in life, their love story brought joy to everyone who knew them.

Della would like to thank the various caregivers from Hestia, the staff at St. Patrick’s, and the VA who took amazing care of her parents. Their ashes will be scattered together in the spring, when friends and family will be able to attend. Please contact Della Clark for service information.