Robert Douglas Carroll, Sr., passed away suddenly on Sept. 3, 2021. He was born on Oct. 9, 1931, in Rifle, Colorado, to James Carroll and Leona (Kerby) Christensen. His parents separated when he was just 2 years old and his mother returned to Moab, where she met and married N.S. (Butch) Christensen.
Robert attended school in Moab, graduating from Grand County High School in 1949. While in high school, Robert was a gifted athlete whose position as football quarterback helped the Grand County team earn state championships. As a sophomore, he suffered an injury at football practice and the coach took advantage of the opportunity to spend hours at the gym working on Robert’s basketball skills. Later that year he went on to be the number-one basketball scorer in the state of Utah. He later attended Carbon College and Brigham Young University where he also played football. Robert coached his younger brother’s baseball team and they became state champions. He continued to help coach his kids and grandkids to excel in all they set out to accomplish.
Robert married the love of his life and high school sweetheart, Vee Williams, in 1950 and they returned to Moab from Provo to raise their family. Robert worked in the lab at the Atlas Minerals Uranium Mill. He also worked as a surveyor and helped survey the road into Arches National Park. The Carroll family owned and operated Carroll’s Archery, which became a big part of their family: archery tournaments were their family vacations and archery hunting trips became a way of life. In his spare time on weekends and after work, Robert would head out to the hills with his boys to stake claims for uranium exploration. Other business ventures include C&H Mining, a uranium mining partnership with the Bill Harrison family; and Carroll Brothers Drilling, a uranium exploration company that moved the drill rigs to Kansas for oil and gas exploration in the early 1980s. The archery business was sold, and the Carroll family bought a working ranch in Paradox, Colorado, where Robert began the work he truly loved and enjoyed until the time of his death: real estate development. Robert and Vee later moved to Monticello, Utah.
His many hobbies included hunting and fishing, coin collecting, sports (watching them in his later years), car restoration, aircraft and flying (which he was passionate about), and cultivating lifelong friendships. He loved people and never met a stranger. These are the words of his brother Jim: “Bob was a son, a brother, a friend, a pal, a companion, a sweetheart, a loving husband, a father, a provider. In addition, he was a leader, a teacher, an advisor, a counselor and a caregiver, a home teacher, a temple worker, a Patriarch, an anchor, an example. He was always working with, inspiring, and supporting the community’s youth and much, much more.”
Robert is survived by his sons, Robert Douglas (Susan) Carroll, Jr. and Ronald (Diana) Carroll; his daughter Kristie (Doug) Whipple; his grandchildren, Hesper (Daniel) Chapman, Erin (Ray) Washington, Tyson (Keri) Carroll, Heather Schaefer, Kama (Tony) Lucero, Keith (Tracie) Carroll, Cody (Bobby) Larsen-Carroll, Brittnie (Nate) Miller, Cortnie (Brad) Jarman, and Tiffanie Whipple; along with 14 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren. Also surviving are his brother, James Carroll; his brother-in-law, Howard (Alma) Williams; his sister-in-law Donna Oviatt, many nieces and nephews, and one very special nephew, Dennis (Laura) Williams.
Robert was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Vee Carroll; his son, Kevin Carroll; and his great-granddaughter, Ellie Jarman, along with a brother, Craig Christensen.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, Sept. 11 at 10 a.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel (475 West 400 North, Moab). A viewing will be held at 9 a.m. before the service and burial will follow at the Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.spanishvalleymortuary.com
