Superintendent Carroll Laid to Rest

From www.fosters.com-

Friday, March 25, 2005

Superintendent Carroll laid to rest
 By MARCUS WEISGERBER
Democrat Staff Writer
[email protected]
 Kacey Carroll and her mother, Kathleen, follow the casket of Thomas Carroll, as pallbearers carry it down the steps of St. Thomas More Church in Durham on Thursday. (Aaron Rohde/Staff photographer)DURHAM — Hundreds gathered on a wet, snowy spring morning Thursday to pay final respects to Thomas Carroll Jr., superintendent of the Oyster River Cooperative School District.

Educators, friends, family, local officials and students filled every pew and lined the aisles of St. Thomas More Church. There were tears on many of the faces of those at the service.

The school district halted classes Thursday so teachers and students could participate in the funeral service for Carroll, who died of a heart attack at his Newmarket home on Sunday. After the funeral, Carroll was laid to rest at a Bedford cemetery. The school community and family and friends were then invited back to Oyster River High School in Durham for a reception in honor of Carroll’s life.

“(Carroll) was proud of his staff, his school community and most of all, his students,” Interim Superintendent Thomas Zarnowski said in a letter read during the funeral service.

The Rev. Daniel St. Laurent, pastor at St. Thomas More Roman Catholic Church, praised Carroll’s “life committed to serving the community,” during his homily. Carroll led with honor, dignity, humor and respect for all, St. Laurent said.

Carroll’s life did have a dark side that St. Laurent touched on.

“He was a Yankees fan,” St. Laurent said prompting an outbreak of laughter in the church. “But there is a bright side. In the brightness of the kingdom, even that can be transformed.”

Carroll’s daughter, Kacey, painted mourners a picture of the devoted family man her father was by telling stories about all he did for his family.

“He was taken from us much too early and will truly be missed,” Kacey Carroll said.

Word of Carroll’s death sent a dark cloud over the school district this week, according to students and teachers. 

“People are pretty subdued,” said Christina Stark, 17, a student at Oyster River High School, who stood in the back at Carroll’s service. “There is no sense of who’s in charge right now.”

Carroll has served as the unofficial interim principal of the high school since December when Principal Don Lafferty went on a medical leave. Lafferty is expected to leave the district at the end of June. The School Board appointed Zarnowski as the interim superintendent on Monday night.

Melinda Salazar, a social studies teacher at Oyster River High School, recalled Carroll’s first speech to teachers during a September meeting nine years ago when he introduced himself as a “person you will come to know.”

“(Carroll’s) presence (was) comforting to all,” she said.

In lieu of flowers, the school administration office is accepting donations to establish a scholarship fund in the memory of Carroll. Contributions may be sent to: Dr. Thomas Carroll Scholarship Fund, c/o Blaine Cox, Business Administrator, Oyster River School District, 36 Coe Drive, Durham, NH 03824.