Rosalie Drucilla (Volgamore) Carroll

CAMBRIDGE -- Rosalie Drucilla (Volgamore) Carroll died May 29, 2008.

She was born July 13, 1913, to Robert and Augusta (Straub) Volgamore on the Volgamore farm, south of Beaver City. The second of three daughters, Rosalie was raised on the farm with her sisters, Pauline and ImoGene.

Following her graduation from high school, she taught at the Needmore country school southwest of Beaver City from 1931 to 1934. From 1934 to 1936, Rosalie attended the University of Nebraska where she earned her teaching degree. After graduating, she returned home and began teaching at the Beaver City grade school.

While teaching in Beaver City, Rosalie met Linus Carroll, band director at Beaver City High School and a native of Cambridge. Rosalie and Linus were married on Dec. 26, 1938, in Cambridge. Soon after, they moved to Riverton, Wyo., where Linus accepted the position of high school band director. Their first child, James, was born in Riverton on Dec. 3, 1942.

Facing the draft, Linus joined the Navy in 1943. Following basic training in Idaho, they were stationed at Great Lakes Naval Base on the north side of Chicago where Linus performed his duties as band director. In November 1945, Rosalie returned to Nebraska for the birth of their second child. Jean was born in McCook on Dec. 3, her brother's birthday. With the end of the war, Linus followed to Nebraska soon after.

In 1946, the family moved to Sheldon, Iowa where Linus accepted a position as music director for the Sheldon schools. In 1953, they moved one last time to Park Forest, Ill., south of Chicago, a newly created community seeking a band director for Rich East High School.

Linus changed jobs one last time in 1959, as band director for nearby Homewood-Flossmore High School, where he retired in 1972. They continued living in Park Forest.

Linus died March 16, 1987, and is buried in Cambridge. Following his death, Rosalie continued to reside in their Park Forest home until 2005, when she moved to the Dallas, Texas area to be closer to her daughter because of failing health. She lived her final two years at The Courtyard at Christian Care Center in Mesquite near Dallas, an Alzheimer's home where residents are cared for by human angels with warmth, love and compassion.

Rosalie enjoyed many trips to Beaver City to visit friends and manage her portion of the Volgamore farm until she sold her property in 1997, to Don and Marcile Woodruff, who had lived and farmed there for 25 years.

Although she had lived away from Beaver City since 1939, Rosalie always considered the town her true home and enjoyed returning often to visit family and friends. Rosalie, Jim and Jean returned often to spend summers in Beaver City and Cambridge, while Linus continued his post-graduate studies.

Rosalie is survived by her son, James Carroll of Fort Wayne, Ind.; daughter, Jean Swindell and husband, Gerald of Dallas, Texas; two grandsons, Brett Carroll of Seattle, Wash., and Greg Carroll of Los Angeles, Calif.; and granddaughter Wendy Krisik of Phoenix, Ariz.

Graveside services will be Friday, 10:30 a.m., at St. John's Catholic Cemetery in Cambridge.

There is no public viewing.

Memorials may be given in her name.

Lockenour-Jones Mortuary of Cambridge is in charge of arrangements.