James Dwight CARROLL

CARROLL, ROSS, PALS, NEUWOHNER, WELTER, ERMER, LERDAL, SHARP

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 4/30/2014 at 20:39:33

August 14, 1924 --- April 28, 2014

James Dwight Carroll
U.S. Veteran

The final bell has rung for long time area educator James Carroll, 89. Jim slept peacefully away Monday, April 28, 2014, surrounded by his loving wife and two daughters at the Faith Lutheran Home in Osage. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, May 1, 2014, at the First United Methodist Church in Osage with Pastor Sam Mack officiating. Burial will be in the Osage Cemetery with military honors at the grave by Osage American Legion Post 278. Visitation will be from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. Wednesday at the Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home in Osage.

Born August 14, 1924, in Emmetsburg, Iowa, James Dwight was the son of Oliver and Marie (Ross) Carroll. At an early age, Jim actively helped his father in the family’s grocery business by delivering groceries. As a freshman, Jim played on the Emmetsburg High School varsity basketball team, and in track he excelled in the pole vault. Upon graduation from Emmetsburg High School in 1943, Jim joined the Navy and was sent to Wabash College in Indiana for special training and to the University of Georgia for Pre Flight education. After completing his Navy enlistment, he took advantage of the G.I. Bill and entered Iowa State Teachers College, graduating in 1949 with a degree in Physical Education and Science.

Jim’s long career in public education began in 1949 as an industrial arts teacher and coach in Goldfield, Iowa, public school. In order to get the job as teacher, he had to agree to coach the girls’ basketball team. Jim agreed, even though he had never coached girls’ basketball, nor had he ever seen girls play 6 on 6 basketball. Under Jim’s guidance, the girls practiced hard, sharpened their skills, and were soon on a winning streak. Finally in 1955, Jim and the Goldfield Indianettes made it to the Girls’ State Basketball Tournament. This was the first year the tournament was held in the new Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium. In 1955 there were no school class sizes at the tournament; winners simply played winners as they advanced to the championship game. One by one the Indianettes defeated their opponents in the preliminary games, earning them the right to compete in the finals. Playing before a record setting crowd of 15,000 fans, the Indianettes beat Holstein, winning the state championship. Fifty years later in 2005, Jim and his championship team were invited back to the Vet’s Auditorium to receive special recognition during the half-time activities because it was the last year tournament games would be held there.

The new sixth grade teacher in Goldfield in 1949 was Joan Pals from Belmond. The couple met, dated and began what was to become a life-long love affair for 63 years. The couple married December 24, 1950, the same year Jim became principal at Goldfield. At the conclusion of the 1955 school year, Jim and Joan moved to Alexander, Iowa, where Jim served as superintendent. He went on to serve as superintendent at Dows, Montezuma, and Osage, where he retired in 1988. Jim’s goal in all of these districts was to improve the school building and grounds, and to employ top quality staff.

After he retired as the Osage superintendent, Jim continued his interest in education. He served on the board of directors of the Northern Trails Area Education Agency, and at the same time, Buena Vista University hired him to supervise their student teachers placed in various north Iowa schools. During these years with Buena Vista, Jim mentored and evaluated many future teachers. While eager to help other aspiring teachers, Jim was especially pleased that both of his daughters chose to become professional educators.

Jim was a man of many interests. Always interested in maintaining physical fitness, he enjoyed walking, bowling, golfing, fishing, leather tooling, and woodworking. Over the years many family members and friends have received a wide variety of Jim’s wooden craft items skillfully created in his backyard shop.

Jim’s family was very special to him, and he thoroughly enjoyed the occasions when they all gathered together. He especially enjoyed watching his daughters and grandchildren participate in their various sports activities. Jim will be missed by all who knew him and loved him.

Survivors include his wife, Joan of Osage, and his two daughters, Susan (Jeff) Neuwohner of Lake Mills, and Leanne (Rick) Ermer of Garner. Jim is also survived by five grandchildren: Emily (Dan) Helgeson of Lake Mills, Megan Neuwohner (fiancé Scott Welter) of Reinbeck and Joe, Jimmy and Jack Ermer of Garner. Also surviving are two brothers-in-law, David (Marlys) Pals of Cedar Falls and Jim Pals of Belmond; a sister-in-law, Carol (Roland) Lerdal of Berne, Indiana; and many nieces and nephews. Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Oliver and Marie Carroll; his siblings, John, Stanley, and Elaine (George) Sharp; and by Joan’s parents, Joe and Mourine Pals. Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home, Osage, Iowa.

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