William (Bill) Francis Carroll, Jr. of Bethany Beach, passed away on March 22, 2024, following a long illness. Bill was born March 28, 1949 to William F. Carroll, Sr. and Joan Redmond in Manhattan, New York.

Bill attended Saint Anthony's High School in Smithtown, New York where he played soccer and was team captain junior and senior year. He received a bachelor's degree in English Literature from Long Island University (Southampton, NY) where he attended on a soccer scholarship. During his time at LIU, he served three years as team captain. He received an MBA in Finance from University of Maryland, College Park and completed post-graduate work in Construction Management at University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Bill lived a full life with amazing accomplishments, the proudest of which was his 47-year marriage to the love of his life, Rosemary, and the eight children they shared. He loved his family incredibly and without judgment. He and Rosemary spent countless hours cheering their children on in sports and other endeavors. In Columbia, MD he started the first girls' recreational soccer program in the country. With his daughter Colleen, he helped form Indian River High School's first women's soccer team. He coached men's soccer at Delaware Technical Community College, was a DIAA and USSF certified soccer referee, a coach for Lower Sussex Little League and boy's and girls' soccer at River Soccer Club and was a former president of the Senior Baseball League.

Bill was a stalwart at St. Ann's Catholic Church in Bethany Beach, where he served as a Eucharistic Minister for many years. He, along with Rosemary, started the Pregnancy Center ministry at St. Ann's, collecting baby bottle contributions for 13 years.  He and Rosemary also supported the Seaman's Center in Wilmington, which provides Christmas gifts and money to seamen all over the world.

Bill was an innovator and entrepreneur. Along with Rosemary, he founded the Delaware Maritime Education Non-Profit Organization to help young men and women learn about and pursue maritime careers. Together, they owned and operated Studio 8 Photography in Bethany Beach, DE from 1991 to present day. They also owned and operated Atlantic Color Lab in Rehoboth Beach, DE and Castle Bay Homes, LLC in Bethany Beach.

Community organizations played a key role in Bill's life. He was a member of the Southern Sussex Rotary, the Lions Club, and the Bethany Beach/Fenwick Island, Rehoboth Beach/Dewey Beach, and greater Millsboro Chamber of Commerce. He volunteered at the CHEER center, Meals on Wheels, Habitat for Humanity, and Contractors' for a Cause.

In the political arena, he served in the Maryland House of Delegates as Counsel to the Minority Delegation. He was a US Senate Intern for an independent member from New York. He served as a political campaign consultant to national and state campaigns throughout the United States and was Republican Party Chairman for Howard County, MD. He also was the youngest elected member of the Maryland Republican State Central Committee in 1970. He served as chairman of the Sussex County Republican party from 2012 to 2018, and was selected by the party to attend the Republican National Convention to vote in 2016.

He is preceded in death by his parents, William and Joan (Redmond) Carroll, and his siblings Charles Carroll and Christopher Carroll.

He is survived by his wife, Rosemary B. Carroll (nee Mallon) and his children: Christian (Melanie) Carroll, Colin Carroll, Charles (Liu) Carroll, Colleen (Anthony) Davis, William F. Carroll III, Daniel Carroll, Kelly (Tom) McCandless, and Michael (Abigail) Carroll; 16 grandchildren; and his siblings: Patrick Carroll, Nancy Klem, Leo Carroll, James Carroll, and Laura Rapposelli.

A visitation will be held from 2-4 PM and 6-8 PM on Tuesday, March 26, 2024 at the Ocean View Chapel of Melson Funeral Services, 38040 Muddy Neck Rd., Ocean View, DE 19970, where a prayer service will be held at 7 PM.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 AM on Wednesday, March 27, 2024 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, 35318 Church Rd., Frankford, DE 19945.  Interment will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Dagsboro, DE.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions in Bill's name to the Seamen's Center of Wilmington by visiting www.scwde.org or the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation by visiting www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org or the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, St. Ann Bethany Beach Conference, 35764 Atlantic Ave., PO Box 879, Ocean View, DE 19970.