Jimmy Lee Carroll

Jimmy Lee Carroll - known to many as Jim - passed away peacefully on May 20, 2026. He lived a truly remarkable life as a scientist, pilot, master falconer, archer, inventor, model airplane enthusiast, husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.

Childhood:

Jim was born on September 24, 1929, at St. Mary's Hospital in Grand Junction, Colorado, to James Edward Carroll and Leona Alta Kerby. After his parents divorced, he was raised by his mother and stepfather, Neldon Snow Christensen, known as "Buch." His early years were spent exploring the boom-and-bust mining towns of Alta and Fairplay, Colorado, and climbing the red rocks around Moab, Utah. As a young boy, he rode the "wild" donkeys left behind by miners, explored mountain forests, and listened to the evening chorus of coyotes. Jim often said he had the "best childhood anyone could possibly have." Those early experiences gave him a deep love of the outdoors and fostered the independence, curiosity, and adventurous spirit that stayed with him throughout his life.

Academic and Professional Pursuits:

After graduating from high school in Moab, Utah, in 1947, Jim attended Brigham Young University on a football scholarship. When an injury ended his ability to continue playing football, he found another way to remain active in university life by becoming drum major for BYU's marching band. In typical fashion, Jim also discovered that he qualified for an even better academic scholarship. He graduated from BYU in 1951 and began his professional career in the nuclear industry, working at the Hanford Site in Washington and later at the Vallecitos Nuclear Center in California. He later returned to Utah to work toward a Ph.D. at the University of Utah, where he conducted research alongside Henry B. Eyring Sr.

Jim's career eventually brought him back to his roots in Moab, where General Electric assigned him to manage the Plateau Uranium Operations in Naturita, Colorado. After that operation closed, he moved to Japan, where he served as Vice President and Manager of General Electric's Japan Nuclear Operations.

After 30 years with General Electric, Jim joined Christensen Diamond Products as Vice President of Research and Manager of its Diamond Technology Center in Salt Lake City. In 1985, he worked for Energy Sciences, Inc., where he helped design and install windmills in California, Oregon, and Hawaii. Later that year, he joined Martin Marietta in Denver, Colorado, assisting with the advanced technology portion of the company's proposal for the International Space Station.

By mid-1986, Jim returned to Brigham Young University, where he served as Chairman of the Engineering and Technology Department. After two years in that position, he joined the startup efforts of BYU's Technology Transfer Office, where he worked until his retirement.

Family and Community:

Jim met and married Barbara Joyce Arrowsmith, known as Joyce, while attending college. Together, they had two children, Linda and Terry. After their divorce, Jim met and married Gwen Mecham, and they had one son, James.

For many years, Jim commuted from Bountiful to Provo so that James would not have to change schools during his final years of high school. After James graduated, Jim and Gwen moved to Highland, Utah, where they built a beautiful home that they designed together. Jim lived there until just weeks before his passing.

Jim and Gwen shared a love of archery and competed in tournaments around the world. Together with his brother Doug, Jim founded Carroll's Archery. They were early pioneers in the development and promotion of the compound bow, helping carry it from an original patented concept into the mainstream of American archery. By 1972, Carroll's Archery was one of only three companies in the world licensed to manufacture compound bows under the original Allen patent. At one time, Carroll bows were considered among the premier archery products in the world and were used in competitions ranging from national championships to the Olympic Games.

Jim also loved flight. He was a private pilot and, for a time, owned and flew a Cessna 210. He built and flew countless model airplanes and carried that same spirit of precision, invention, and wonder into everything he pursued. He was also a master falconer, training and keeping many birds of prey. His interest in falconry led him to help develop objective judging measures for Utah Sky Trials competitions.

Gwen loved to dance, and while it was never Jim's favorite thing, he spent hours taking ballroom dance classes and learning to dance with her. Gwen passed away from breast cancer in 2009. After her death, Jim married Mary Elizabeth Evans, who passed away in 2021. Mary and her children proved to be a wonderful addition to the family and brought Jim a great deal of happiness in his later years.

Jim was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He will be remembered for his storytelling, his brilliant scientific mind, his love of nature and flight, his adventurous spirit, and his unwavering devotion to those he loved.

Jim was preceded in death by his brothers Keith Dalton, Craig Christensen, and Robert Douglas Carroll; by his former wife Joyce; by his wives Gwen and Mary; and by one grandchild. He is survived by his three children, eight grandchildren, and eighteen great-grandchildren.