Barbara Carroll Obituary

Barbara Ann Lee Carroll was born May 13, 1937, in San Jose, California, to Herbert Irving Lee and Alice Demicheli Lee. She spent her early years playing on the vineyard her family owned, attending Mt. Pleasant Elementary School and James Lick High School. She went on to attend and graduate from the University of California at Davis in 1959. Barbara met her great love, Gene Carroll, when she was 15 years old, marrying him at age 19. She devoted her life to raising her daughters, building a Frank Lloyd Wright-style home, serving as a 4-H leader, keeping the books for Gene's veterinary practice, developing land in Alaska, traveling, and spending time with her grandchildren---approaching all with her well-organized and determined style. Barbara was the consummate hostess. She enjoyed entertaining, and she tuned her attention to every detail. She had a great spirit of adventure---many cherished memories from family trips came as a result of Barbara's initiative. She was a keen business woman, and she took pleasure in mastering the perplexities associated with those endeavors. She loved pranks and practical jokes, executing them with unusual flair and good humor. Barbara lost Gene on May 10, 2011, after a battle with cancer. Pushing through her own physical challenges, she cared for him and made possible his wish to die at home. She is survived by her daughters, Lani Hinkle (Jim Hinkle) and Debbie Carroll (Michael Lemons); grandchildren Samuel Hinkle and Elena Hinkle; sister Joan Jamison (Jerry) of San Jose, CA; and many beloved nieces and nephews from the Lee and Carroll families. A celebration of Barbara's life will be held at Grace and St. Stephen's Episcopal Church on Friday, June 10th, at 1:30 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the National Osteoporosis Foundation (1150 17th St. NW, Suite 850, Washington DC 20036) or to TwoCor Projects (625 Arrawanna St., Colorado Springs, CO, 80909).