Patricia Louise Carroll

She was 98 and had celebrated her birthday in October. Pat had experienced a long decline after suffering a fall in April 2018, after which she moved from Warr Acres, Oklahoma, to Mesquite, Texas, to be closer to family. Prior to the fall she was an active and engaged nonagenarian and had particularly enjoyed her 90th birthday party with family and friends.

Patricia was the second youngest of the nine children of James Jefferson and Bessie Laberta Bozarth, and was born in Arapaho, Oklahoma, on October 15, 1926. She grew up on a farm near Arapaho and enjoyed her experiences there and with her family, but also faced some hardships due to a significant lack of vision in one of her eyes that hampered her ability in school. Despite that fact, she graduated from Arapaho High School in 1944, studied at Southwestern State College in Weatherford, Oklahoma, and then moved to the big city, attending Oklahoma City University (OCU). In Oklahoma City she met and married, on June 3, 1949, H. G. “Jack” Carroll. While also attending OCU, Jack convinced Pat to join him in seeking a law degree in the hopes the two of them could practice law together. She graduated with her law degree in 1956, one of just two women to do so in that class, … and passed the Bar exam before Jack succeeded with her help and encouragement! While in law school, Pat worked for Judge John Jarmon and was among his most trusted staff in his Oklahoma office when he became a US Representative.

Pat and Jack practiced law together in the Carroll & Carroll firm until his death in December 1982. After that, Pat continued the practice of the firm by herself until early 2018. One word that comes to mind for Pat is resilience, which she showed at many stages of her life, including after Jack’s passing. She was forced to somewhat reinvent herself as the leader of the firm and its staff, and began to wear the distinctive clothing and hats that she became known for by family, friends, and professional colleagues – oh, those hats! She was sharp as a tack and relentless in the pursuit of fairness, equity, and justice for her clients and cared deeply for them. She received a 60-year pin from the Oklahoma Bar Association for her longevity as an attorney.

One of her unexpected joys came in 1969 when she won a Volkswagen Beetle to be picked up in Germany, with a two-week trip for two to pick it up. Her children were also able to go on the trip, leading to many interesting stories. That “bug” was a fixture in the family for very many years and helped the children get through several periods of their educations but always returned to Mom.

Patricia also cared deeply for and loved her children, James Jefferson “Jeff” Carroll of Ellicott City, Maryland, and Carol Ann Kruckenberg of Mesquite, Texas. The same was true for her daughter-in-law, Diane E. Carroll, and son-in-law, Russell Kruckenberg, her grandchildren Gabrielle, Stephanie, Abigail, Danielle, Alison, and Reece, and great grandchildren Joelle, Quentin, Vivian, and Simeon. She was supportive of all their endeavors, even if she didn’t always understand them – none went into the legal field. Pat was so excited when the family would convene at her house for the holidays, drawing them from across the US even through the great Oklahoma snowstorm of 2009. She never got to see the family as much as she would have liked so relished every opportunity.

Patricia accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior at a tent revival when she was fourteen years old. She was a life-long Baptist and during her last years in Oklahoma regularly attended Tulakes Baptist Church in Bethany. At several points in her life, she enjoyed teaching Sunday School classes to adults. She enjoyed singing the old hymns and her favorite was “His Eye is on the Sparrow.” As a way of combining service with a hobby, for many years she crocheted a large number of small hats for a children’s home and tracheostomy covers for the Veterans Administration.

Patricia Louise Carroll was preceded in death by her husband, H. G. “Jack” Carroll, her parents James and Bessie Bozarth, and all her siblings: Laverne Swafford, James Bozarth, Ruth Hankla-Alexander, Annalee Grant, Nadene Marquis, Dorothy Clothier, Doris McLaughlin, and Margret Walton. She had caring friends who relied on her, but she outlived most of them. Pat is survived by her children, their spouses, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. Pat will be greatly missed by all – after such a long life, it’s hard to believe she’s gone.

Pat will be buried next to Jack in Memorial Park Cemetery, 13313 North Kelley, Oklahoma City, OK, 73131, on Saturday, December 28, 2024.

Viewing will be held noon to 2 PM with a service thereafter, at the Memorial Park Funeral Home, 13313 North Kelley Ave, OKC, OK 73131, with interment to follow.