Dr. Herbert Beaumont Carroll, Jr. Obituary (1920 - 2016)

Dr. Herbert B. Carroll, Jr., beloved West Seattle pediatrician for over 40 years, passed away peacefully on February 28, 2016 at the age of 95 after a brief illness. He was born in Seattle on May 27, 1920 and was a descendant of a Seattle pioneer family. His paternal grandfather, Thomas J. Carroll, founded Carroll's Fine Jewelry in 1895 which became a Seattle business landmark for over a century. His maternal grandparents, Knute and Marie Halseth, were Norwegian immigrants who successfully prospected gold in the Alaska Klondike, and built homes and apartments upon their return to Seattle. Herb attended Seward Elementary and Broadway High School where he was a three sport star in football, hockey and boxing. Upon completing his degree at the University of Washington, Herb attended medical school at St. Louis University during which he joined the Army Air Corps. First stationed at Ft. Sam Houston, he then transferred to McChord AFB where he served as physician. He completed his pediatric residency at Children's Hospital in Seattle and then opened his own pediatric practice in West Seattle in 1950. On a family boating trip as a teenager, Herb met the love of his life, Hazel Ann Waters, in Pender Harbor, British Columbia. Over the ensuing years, the Carroll family made frequent trips to Vancouver, B.C. for visits with Hazel. Despite the distance, the romance grew and they were married on February 8, 1944 in St. Louis, Missouri while he was still in medical school. Herb and Hazel raised five daughters, moving from St. Louis, to San Antonio, back to Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood, and in 1959 to the home they loved in West Seattle. Herb's passions were pediatric practice, the great outdoors, DIY projects and most of all, his family. Herb was a respected medical practitioner who treated generations of children. His relaxed and casual demeanor was an admired and calming attribute when interacting with his young patients. He was a keen observe with great insight and perspective, professional characteristics which contributed to his expertise in diagnosing medical conditions afflicting his patients. Herb was an avid outdoorsman. With his best friends and hunting partners, many trophy salmon were landed on his boat and decades of hunting in the Potholes region near Moses Lake guaranteed duck dinners for all to enjoy. Winters involved weekends and holidays with family spent at their ski cabin at Crystal Mountain, which was designed and built entirely by the family and close friends. Summers entailed vacationing at the family's beach house on Vashon Island for weeks on end and was a haven for family gatherings and activities. Snow and water skiing were sports Herb enjoyed well into his 80's. Camping trips were not complete without the family station wagon full of kids, friends, and a ski boat in tow. Herb was the original DIY man. Cars, boats and the various houses were all kept in top condition while benefiting from Herb's repair and maintenance expertise. An ample supply of nuts, bolts, scrap lumber and duct tape were always at the ready to tackle the next project. Even at the age of 92, Herb was scaling the roof of his West Seattle home replacing shingles. A true lifelong learner, he stayed connected to his profession, texted his grandkids on his iPhone, traded stocks on his computer, and kept up with world events. The most important aspect of Herb's life was his family. His devotion to his wife Hazel for over 72 years was testament to Herb's dedicated commitment to their marriage. Ever since their first meeting as teenagers, the romance and love between Herb and Hazel not only endured, but grew even stronger as the years went by. Each and every morning commenced with a hug and a kiss while walks in the neighborhood and the beach at Vashon were always done hand in hand. Herb and Hazel were inseparable and enjoyed the most harmonious relationship during their times as husband and wife. Herb's affections knew no bounds when it came to his daughters, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He made certain that his family was always taken care of first while his personal desires were secondary to the needs of his family. Events and vacations were always planned around including the kids as this was a great source of pride and joy in Herb's life. Herb not only leaves behind a large extended family, but a heritage of humility, honor, devotion and commitment that his surviving family will continue to uphold in tribute to him. He epitomized the ideal of a true husband, father and friend and was an inspiration to all who knew him. The entire Carroll family is saddened with Herb's passing and his presence, wisdom and warm grin will be sorely missed. But he leaves us all a lifetime of great memories and a legacy to carry on in the traditions that were not only an integral part of his life, but ingrained in his persona. Herb was preceded in death by his daughter Suzanne Carroll and his sister's Marie Carroll King and Virginia Carroll Ream. He is survived by his wife Hazel, his daughters Ann Marie (Ward) Carson, Christy (Dave) Cruver, Wendy (Rich) Starrett, Cindy (Tom) Ridgeway, nine grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. A private family memorial is being planned.