Carroll, Elizabeth A. 1938-2026 Weatherby, Mo.
WEATHERBY, Mo. – Elizabeth Ann (Odell) Carroll went to be with her Lord Wednesday morning, the 28th of January. Born on Feb. 8, 1938, in Kingston, Missouri, Ann spent her early days attending school and learning many skills while helping at home. As early as eighth grade, she took a job helping a family, work she looked back on fondly as it is where she accredits her skills of cooking to have first begun to develop; this skill was one her own family would relish and enjoy for many decades as her table was always a welcome and nourishing place for all who knew her.
Ann married Albert Jesse “A.J.” Carroll on April 25, 1956, at the Federated Church, in Kingston, where they had gotten to know one another through youth gatherings. Ann quit her job at the Nazarene Publishing House, in Kansas City, as they built their beautiful life together at their home in Kingston. There she was a hard worker, a wonderful neighbor, and embraced the tall task of raising three ornery boys, Kyle, Kirby, and “Alex” Creighton, and her daughter, “Leticia” Ceann. She volunteered and served passionately at Kingston Church of the Nazarene in various roles for many years, including Sunday School teacher and Missions President.
In a boisterous and love-filled home, Ann cooked countless meals and mended and sewed innumerable pieces of clothing with what can only be described as a masterful touch. Together with A.J.’s woodworking skills, Ann could make any space beautiful and brought her artistic touch to many projects over the years. Once her children were all in school, she began working at Cameron Mutual Insurance in Cameron, Missouri, where she worked until her retirement. No matter what her job or her hands created, being a good mother, and eventual grandmother and great-grandmother, was her greatest accomplishment in life.
After moving to their home outside Weatherby, Missouri, Ann poured hours and tender care into her many flower gardens, often sending those who visited home with starts from various plants. The greenest of green thumbs, her small acreage was a blooming slice of heaven on Earth, inspiring one of her grandchildren to hold a garden wedding in its folds, and another to pursue his PhD in Horticulture after time spent walking the grounds with her and digging in the dirt by her side. Beautiful things are still being cultivated and grown across many states because of her knowledge, instruction, and generosity.
Hospitable and companionable, the things that brought her greatest joy included her Savior, books, gardening, sharing stories around a table, and her family. In her Bible she had written the quote, “Holiness is doing all within one’s power to become like Jesus, but Christian holiness is never attained–it is obtained.” Having received the greatest gift of salvation, she now rejoices and resides with the Christ she most desired to be like.
Ann is preceded in death by her mother, Mary (Odell) Parker; stepsiblings, Doris Phillips, Helen Baker, Ruby Bohrn, Frank Parker Jr.
She is survived by her husband of nearly 70 years, A.J. Carroll, of Weatherby, Missouri; four children, Kyle (Sharon) Carroll, of Maysville, Missouri, Kirby (Lesa) Carroll, of Warrensburg, Missouri, Ceann (David) Burlew, of Ozark, Missouri, and Creighton Carroll, of Cameron; seven grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.
Funeral Service: 11 a.m. Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, at the Kingston Church of the Nazarene, Kingston, Missouri.
Formal Visitation: one hour prior to the service on Monday, Feb. 2, 10 to 11 a.m., at the church. Interment: The Kingston Cemetery, Kingston. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Kingston Church of the Nazarene. Friends may call at Bram Funeral Home on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, from 1 to 5 p.m.
Arrangements entrusted to Bram Funeral Home, Hamilton. As published in the St. Joseph News-Press.
