James Vincent Carroll Jr.

James V. Carroll, Jr. 83 passed away Oct. 11 at UPMC, Altoona. Born 1941 in Ottowa, Ill. He is survived by wife, Judith and 6 stepchildren, Vanessa, Janet, George, and from previous marriage to deceased wife, Trina Mazetti, Lori, David and Michael.
At age 15 Jim was offended by a stranger pushing him away from a fountain in New Orleans airport because it was for "colored." At a church nearby that day he adopted St. Martin de Porres, a black saint patron of fatherless boys as his role model in life. Little did this teenager know he would be a stepfather to 6.
Jim was employed by Motorola Corporation for 30+ years and was honored by them for his creation of a mentor program that teamed company scientists with talented college students. At its peak 200 mentor-students were placed.
His Catholic faith drove him to serve the poor as a member of the St. Vincent de Paul society. As a Little League coach he accepted the first girl to play on his Phoenix team. Her success as a batter and first baseman had other coaches offering "trades." Jim declined.
Retiring from Motorola he and Trina moved from Phoenix to Payson, a wonderful mountain town where he offered free classes to senior citizens unfamiliar with computer use, and then he decided to train in law enforcement. At age 62 he passed the rigorous physical and mental tests to be hired as a detention officer for the Gila County Sheriff. Controlling 30 prisoners alone was a challenge, but he noticed that many prisoners had no money to purchase snacks so he distributed donated excess milk & cookies ... if they would settle down and sleep. The tactic worked.
Jim believed in lifelong education and took college courses as needed to advance in his career. Always a teacher at heart, he taught the Knights of the Altar program to young people who served at Mass. He trained in a special 2-year Loyola Catechetical Leadership course sponsored by the Diocese of Tucson to teach his Catholic faith to young people and adults and volunteered in AZ 8 years to teach in Catholic education for HS students. He was creating lesson plans in PA this year on his computer for students in the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, but his generous heart failed him. His consideration of others led him to write on a whiteboard his last words. "Thanks to all, Jim Carroll" to recognize the UPMC nursing staff fighting tirelessly to save his life.
Visitation at Ozog's Funeral Home Thursday from 2 to 7:30 PM, October 24. Requiem Mass Friday 10 AM at Resurrection Parish followed by his Internment at Grandview Cemetery.

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