May 14, 1928 – January 17, 2021 (age 92)
Carroll was born May 14, 1928 at home on the family farm in Thornton, Idaho, the oldest of four children of Cloy Chester Nichols and Irma Vivian Christiansen.
His father died when he was 9 and the family moved to Hyrum, Utah, where his mother taught school. He worked for his uncle as a camp cook and sheep herder in the summer beginning at age 12.
Carroll graduated in 1946 from South Cache High School where he played football, basketball and ran track. He joined the US Army 82nd Airborne Division as a paratrooper after high school. After his service, he attended USAC in Logan and was in Phi Kappa Alpha fraternity.
He married Shirley Wilcox while student teaching at South Cache. They have eight children, 46 grandchildren, and 94 great-grandchildren.
Carroll was an educator and taught at Payson Jr. Highland, Utah, then Highland Jr. High and was Principal at Conrad Alternate High School in San Bernardino, California. He completed his MS and worked on a PhD at UCLA in education. He was Principal of Box Elder High for 15 years announcing the orchids and onions each day. He served as Assistant Superintendent of Box Elder School District. While Principal, he could be found at the High School all day, every day, except Sunday. He returned to San Bernardino, California to teach at Golden Valley Jr. and Pacific High School.
After retirement Carroll and Shirley served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Salt Lake Temple Square and later Sydney, Australia as Institute teachers at three universities and Young Adult mentors.
Service was important to Carroll and he was a member of the Optomist Club, Rotary Club, and American Legion. He served as Elder’s President, High Council member, Bishop, and Young Men’s Explorer leader, taking his boys on super activities to California and Mexico. He was very proud of the many missionaries and service men in his posterity.
Carroll passed away Sunday evening at the Mission at Maple Springs surrounded by many of his family members. We appreciate their tender care of him.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two older half-sisters (Margaret Jenkins and Cleone Nichols), his sister Vivian Harris and her husband Burton.
He is survived by his wife Shirley of almost 70 years; two brothers: Dr. Murray C. Nichols (Rose Marie) and Eugene LaVoy Nichols (Tammy); his children: Susan Lee, Steve Nichols (Dayna Favero), Teresa (Bruce Garrett), Shelly (Dale Heward), Linda (Marc Urmston), Brent Nichols (Tiana Gabbitas), Jill (Rory Violette), and Eric Nichols; grandchildren, great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
A public viewing will be held at Gillies Funeral Chapel, 634 East 200 South, Brigham City, Utah on Tuesday, January 26, from 6:00 – 8:00pm.
Funeral services will be Wednesday morning for family members only due to COVID restrictions.
To view the live stream of the funeral service, please click here.
Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at Gillies Funeral Chapel.