Dr. Jerry D. Carroll

Jerry Dale Carroll, devout family man, visionary community leader and President of OSU-Oklahoma City, passed away Oct. 29, 2010, at Integris Hospice House in Oklahoma City. He had an optimistic attitude about life and throughout his 16-month battle with cancer and encouraged friends and co-workers to move ”onward and upward!” Jerry was born Jan. 2, 1940, in Prairie Grove, AR to Ray and Irene Carroll. He graduated from Muskogee High School in 1958; he attended Connors State College, Warner, Northeastern Oklahoma State University, Tahlequah and earned his Bachelor of Arts and his Masters of Counseling. Always an advocate of life-long learning, he graduated from Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, with his Doctorate of Education. He married Janice Hays in Tulsa on February 9, 1973. He began his four-decade journey towards excellence in higher education at Tulsa Junior College. He served in a number of positions—Director of Counseling, Director of Admissions, Dean of Student Personnel Services, Dean of Instruction and 1990-1992 as provost of the Metro Campus. Dr. Carroll served as President of Northeastern A&M College in Miami, OK, from 1992 to 1997. There he instituted new systems of financial management, increased enrollment, built the endowment and guided the school through a successful North Central Association Accreditation. Dr. Carroll was named provost of the OSU-Oklahoma City in 1997, and was later named President. He was the third provost and the first president of OSU-OKC in its 49 year history. He described his own leadership style as “management by walking around”- as he believed one of his most important duties was to listen, talk to others, and seek input. He could be seen strolling throughout campus, chatting with students, giving directions and advice to parents, and interacting with faculty and staff. Through his ability to match the needs of employers with educational programs for students, he grew enrollment from 4,000 to 8,000 in his 13 year tenure at OSU-OKC. He was also responsible for the institution offering its first four-year bachelor degree in 2007. Dr Carroll served on numerous boards including civic clubs, business committees, honor societies and private organizations, and was a past member of the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and a member of the Rotary Club of Oklahoma City. He was a member of First Christian Church, Crescent, OK. In 2008 he served as chair of the annual Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s Walk for a Cure which was held on the OSU-OKC campus from 2008-2010 and raised thousands of dollars for JDRF. He is preceded in death by his mother Irene Ross, and his father Ray Carroll. Survivors include his wife Jan of the home; son Justen Carroll and wife Jennifer; daughter Jayme Hendrix and husband Dustin; granddaughters Madelyn and Morgan Carroll and Hannah Hendrix; sister Barbara Lenius and husband Will; brother Donald Carroll and wife Sharol; as well as many nieces, nephews, and cousins. The family would like to thank Dr. Brian Geister and the staff at Integris Cancer Institute of Oklahoma, Oklahoma County Hospice, Cancer Care Associates at Mercy and all those involved in Dr. Carroll’s care for the past 16 months. Dr. Carroll’s family will receive friends Tuesday evening, November 2, 2010 from 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. at the Hahn- Cook/Street & Draper Funeral Directors, 6600 Broadway Extension, Oklahoma City. A Committal Service will be held 10:00 A.M. Thursday, November 4, 2010 at the Tahlequah City Cemetery, Tahlequah, Oklahoma. A Celebration of Dr. Carroll’s Life will be held in Tulsa at 1:00 P.M. Thursday, November 4, 2010 at the Dean VanTrease Performing Arts Center for Education on the Tulsa Community College Southeast Campus. A Celebration of Dr. Carroll’s Life will be held in Oklahoma City at 1:00 P.M. Friday, November 5, 2010 at the Church of the Servant, 14343 N. MacArthur Blvd. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Dr. Jerry D. Carroll Scholarship Fund at Northeastern A&M College, Tulsa Community College or OSU-Oklahoma City, in care of the funeral home. Arrangements are under the direction of the McClendon-Winters Funeral Home, 303 E. Seventh Street, Okmulgee, Oklahoma 74447. 918.756.1677 Online condolences may be sent at www.mcclendon-winters.com

Dr. Jerry D. Carroll

January 2, 1940 - October 29, 2010