Carol Cartwright Merrell

Carol Cartwright Merrell, age 65, died on June 23, 2021, at Baptist Medical Center South. She was born in Jacksonville, Florida, on July 25, 1955, the daughter of Herbert and Helen Cartwright (née Holland). She grew up in the neighborhood of Avondale alongside siblings, Tom, Donald, and Gail. After graduating from Robert E. Lee High School in 1973, she received a Bachelor’s degree from Valdosta State University. It was there that she met her first husband, Robert Krawczyk, with whom Carol had two children, Robert Krawczyk and Rosemary Lea Sergent (née Krawczyk).

Carol returned to Jacksonville, where she had a career in banking, working for First Union, Wachovia, and Wells Fargo. She was a member of the Moose Lodge and the Elks Club, and had served on the board of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, having herself been first diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of sixteen.

In 1993, Carol married her second husband, Duane Merrell, becoming stepmother to his two sons, Brian and Billy Merrell. Their blended family moved to Mandarin, where Carol lived for more than twenty-seven years.

Often the life of the party, Carol made friends easily and made great conversation. She loved dogs, and enjoyed camping, cruising, and cooking family recipes.

Carol is survived by her husband Duane Merrell, siblings Tom Cartwright, Donald Cartwright, and Gail Rouen (née Cartwright), as well as her loving children and grandchildren, Peighton and Gavin Merrell.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to JDRF by visiting jdrf.org/northernflorida .